


Serendipity

by Fansize



Series: Florescendo ao Sol [2]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Baby Ivan (Hetalia), Baby Russia, Big Brother England (Hetalia), Gen, Little Russia (Hetalia)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-27
Updated: 2020-04-01
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:48:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 30,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21578632
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fansize/pseuds/Fansize
Summary: Russia has turned into a baby and no options, England ends up taking care of him. A helpless nation and a nation yearning for someone to love; Could these two nations develop mutual affection?What will life be like in England now that he has to take care of a baby, of all things?Could England care about Russia to such an extent that she saw him as more than the dreaded Eurasian nation?
Relationships: England & Russia (Hetalia)
Series: Florescendo ao Sol [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1528187
Comments: 16
Kudos: 81





	1. There is a Baby in My Couch

**Author's Note:**

> Hetalia doesn't belong to me, because if I belonged there would be much more love between boys and I'd have a pocket full of money (maybe). A feather, I need money. The images are not mine either; most of them I got on Pinterest, so if anyone knows the artist, tell me and I'll give them credit.

_Dizem que a chegada de um bebê deixa nossa vida de pernas para o ar, mas no meu caso este anjo colocou tudo em seu lugar._ \- Autor Desconhecido (frasesparaface.com.br)

* * *

Arthur awoke with a murderous headache. Dealing with Alfred always made him feel tired, but last night, coupled with the events of the previous meeting, only left him more exhausted than usual and although he knew he had piles of papers to sort out, Arthur remained in his bed until lunchtime, when inevitably hunger made him to get up.

\- That idiot ... He says he comes to my house to apologize and further offends my food; I should curse him so that whatever he eats tastes like shit! Let's see what he says when he can't taste his delicious fast food anymore… - Arthur grumbled, going down to his pajama room.

As he was about to cross the room toward the kitchen a noise stopped him and immediately put him on alert, his eyes roaming the space around, seeing nothing. But again, after a few seconds, there was that sound. It was a soft sound, a kind of muffled whimper that was growing louder and more distressed.

Not knowing what to expect and fearing what he would see, Arthur approached his couch with his back to him, watching a white volume rise as he got closer and when he finally mustered the courage to crank his neck and see what made that sound. Hoping it wasn't what her mind whispered to him, Arthur felt his brain freeze.

Right there, lying on his couch wrapped in a too-familiar scarf that could only belong to one person - nation - across the land was a chubby baby with incredibly light blond hair and a bigger-than-normal nose on his very pale face to stare at him with watery violet eyes.

Arthur spent a good few minutes staring at the baby, trying to process what he saw while denying it until the baby let out a sob and began to cry, a painful, sad sound that got him into action, even against all instincts that told him to run away and not get involved with it.

\- No, no, no ... Sh, shhh, it's fine, fine, baby. Do not Cry. - Arthur asked in a whisper, wrapping the child carefully in his arms and rocking it from side to side, but that did not help, because the child continued to cry, to England's despair.

Increasingly desperate, Arthur put his hand on his pale forehead and was surprised to feel it hot, indicating a high fever and acting fast, the Englishman dismissing all thoughts of who that baby was and how did he ended there in favor of taking care of his health. With the boy in his arms (confirmed after a brief glimpse of his private parts and that only cemented his suspicions) Arthur rushed to heat some water, preparing a huge plastic basin that he used in his kitchen - since he didn't have a child-friendly bathtub - while soaking wet cloths with cold water, all the while trying to soothe the baby who seemed to be in pain.

Though confused, tired and even bored, Arthur's heart pitied the suffering boy who looked no more than a year old and he decided to at least ease the child's pain before doing anything, a little surprised seeing the baby calm down from the hot water, though he was still sniffling. Arthur's gentle touches served to soothe the baby further, until in the end he was making sounds of discomfort only sporadically.

Mentally apologizing and fearing possible punishment in the future, Arthur wrapped the boy in the scarf, deciding that the available dish towels were too rough for his sensitive skin and he didn't want to go to his bathroom for a towel with the damp, sick child in his arms. Even knowing that for beings like him a human disease wasn't easy to acquire, Arthur didn't want to risk the baby's health even more.

Finally he put wet cloths on the baby's forehead, neck, armpits, and groin, blushing a little on that last part and once again apologizing in his mind.

\- Here, you need to hydrate yourself. - Arthur said, more to himself than to the child, offering the baby some water and smiling as he let it slip out of the corner of his mouth. - Now, little one, be careful.

Immediately realizing what he was doing, Arthur froze and made a move to move the child away from him, stopping when he cried in protest.

“What in the name of the queen am I doing? This isn't just any baby, Arthur, you idiot! ”He scolded himself, quickly wrapping the boy in comfy covers and rocking him, desperate to make him sleep.

Once the boy finally fell asleep Arthur put him in the middle of the bed, surrounding him with pillows so that he would not roll over and fall (for no matter who the child was, he was still a child and England was a gentleman) and quietly left the bedroom, closing the door behind him before escaping to the garden.

\- I know you are there! Show up soon! - Arthur shouted into the void, unresponsive for a few moments before the air filled with the sound of bells and several fairies, gnomes and some goblins emerged from behind the plants.

\- Hey, Arthur, how you doing? - A gnome greeted him and was immediately shot by the gaze of the ancient empire.

\- Don't come up with "Hey Arthur" on me! Can you explain why Russia became a baby and it's on **my** couch?! I know there's your finger on it! - There was a stir among the creatures who avoided looking at Arthur, clearly not wanting to have to explain themselves. - And then? I'm waiting! Is that what I said yesterday? I wasn't being literal and I sure didn't ask you guys to do that! - Arthur went into despair, not knowing whether to scream or cry.

\- No, no, of course not. Blusky, the blue-winged fairy, denied, waving her arms in agitation. - A demovoi said that Russia had a magical accident, but he didn’t want to give the child to his boss, fearing that he would not take good care of him.

\- Why wouldn't you take care? It is Russia; He has to take good care of his country!

\- We don't know, but you know how humans are, Arthur; they would not understand, nor would they know how best to care for a baby nation! – The gnome snorted sarcastically and Arthur had to agree. Although they appeared to be human, nations were far from that.

\- Still ... If Russia needs a nanny he has two sisters for that!

\- NO! – The creatures shouted, startling Arthur.

\- Arthur, think about it; one of his sisters is crazy about him and the other is forbidden to talk to him; neither would be good for this situation and you said you need someone to look after yourself, wouldn't you?

\- Yes, but why does it have to be…

\- Look, we'll try to find out what happened to him, so until then please ... - The blue fairy practically begged and after much regret the pros and cons Arthur relented, already feeling all the headache it would bring to him.

\- Okay, okay. But don't be long with it; I do not intend to spend all my time taking care of Russia, of all nations! - Arthur snorted and quickly thanking him the magical creatures fled, the garden becoming as empty as before and feeling that somehow had been deceived, Arthur sighed and returned to the house.

With heavy steps, Arthur crawled upstairs, glad to see that Russia slept soundly and wiping off his damp cloths, wrapping him in his cloak once more as he considered what to do.

A part of him, the most traitorous part, was thrilled that he finally had someone to care for, someone who would depend on him and accept his care and all the love he had to give, but most of him, the rational part, could only glimpse all the ways this could go wrong.

\- It will only be for a while; I will not cling. It's Russia, after all! – Arthur muttered to himself in an attempt to convince himself.

Entering its old warehouse, the British nation searched through the old boxes and cabinets until it found what it was looking for: Alfred's old clothes. They were dirty and stank of time, but they were full of memories Arthur pushed away. Deciding he would buy more clothes as soon as he could, Arthur took only three pieces and washed them, putting them in the dryer before washing the Russian scarf too, pausing for a moment to admire the material.

As long as he could remember Russia always had that scarf, so it was no surprise to see him so worn out, but the material was soft and well cared for, despite some mischief here and there and on sheer whim Arthur decided he would fix it. when I could. He was hanging the scarf on the clothesline, deciding it was too delicate for the dryer, when he heard the cry coming upstairs and moaning, Arthur hurried to pick up the child.

\- Ok, ok, calm down, I'm going now! - Arthur snorted, opening the door of his room and there, on the bed, was Russia, tears running down the pudgy face as it seemed to drown between the sheets and pillows.

As soon as Arthur walked through the door little Russia raised his head toward him and looked at him with the most beautiful and innocent eyes that England had ever seen in his life and immediately the British nation froze, taken by the baby. Arthur hadn't noticed his eyes before, but it was the most amazing eyes he'd ever seen and it was innocent that twisted his heart.

The moment seemed to last forever, both nations facing each other, green against purple, until Russia whimpered and the spell was broken, propelling Arthur to the baby. Much to his chagrin, the Briton discovered that Russia had peed on his sheets, but believed that it was his own fault for not putting him in a diaper and could only sigh with it.

\- And you just showered ... Come on, let's fix you.

Russia made a small indistinct sound, reaching out a small hand and gripping a strand of hair, looking enchanted by Arthur's hair and pulling with a little more force than necessary. Carefully Arthur brushed his chubby hand out of his hair, scolding him gently.

\- Come on, don't be rude. – He snorted, pulling his hand away from Russia, who whimpered and tried to grab her hair again, so that Arthur offered her the finger, letting the baby get distracted by it while preparing another bath.

To hIS relief, Russia was less feverish than when he had gone to sleep, and once in the warm water he laughed and waved his arms, splashing water everywhere.

\- Yeah, you really look better! - Arthur snorted, bathing the child quickly before and this time wrapped him in a royal towel, drying it carefully before putting on Alfred's clothes, which were still too big for him. On closer inspection, the island nation concluded that Russia should be less than a year old, maybe seven or eight months, no longer, and he sighed, as he seemed to have been doing so much lately, wishing deeply that it would not last long. – I think we should go for some shopping, right? You cannot wear these inappropriate clothes forever!

The baby looked at him and muttered some words that probably should have been Russian, but they were just a handful of loose vowels and consonants. Picking up his wallet and keys, Arthur left the house, deciding to go to London for baby supplies.

* * *

Arthur hadn‘t cared for a child in years, so he would be expected to forget a few things and take time to relearn everything he needed, but the Briton already knew he was failing when he realized he didn't have a car seat and he had to carry Russia on his lap, praying that he wouldn’t be stopped by a police officer and feeling disappointed when it didn’t actually happen. What was his police doing?

Well, anyway, Arthur had a task to do that didn't include taking fines and in a little time he found himself in front of a baby shop in London. The storefront seemed to indicate that it was an expensive store, but from the quick searches on his cell phone, it was the best one, and he wondered if he could make some money. Anything he could charge the once intimidating nation for.

\- Hello sir? May I help you? – A saleswoman approached to meet him with a small smile on her face, her eyes immediately landing on Russia and she barely contained an exclamation too loud for British taste, immediately hovering over the baby and cooing to him. – Wow, you have such a beautiful son; Congratulations daddy! What's his name?

\- I-and-and-I'm not the father! I'm his brother! Brother! - Arthur was quick to correct. - His name is I ... Ivan!

Arthur hoped the woman wouldn’t notice her failure, since Arthur had never used the human name of Russia before, but it wasn’t as if he could call it any other way. Luckily the saleswoman was too busy playing with Ivan – and Arthur shuddered a little at the name again - to notice anything, the baby looking at the woman curiously.

\- Caham… - Arthur cleared his throat, catching the attention of the saleswoman who immediately straightened, a little embarrassed.

\- Oh I'm sorry; so what do you need?

\- Let's see, I need clothes, diapers, bottles and formula and if I don't want a fine, a baby car seat! – The old empire stopped for a second watching Russia chew on his uniform and leave a nanny stain on his chest, making him contain the moan of disgust and teething toys. – You will cost me money, you know, little one? I hope you return all my generosity later…

The lovely baby made a daaawah sound and smiled at Arthur, showing off his little teeth, which made Arthur involuntarily smile until he remembered that the baby was Russia and immediately wiped the smile off his face.

\- Oh and I want bigger sizes for type, for one year’ children. – He said quickly, coughing to disguise the emotion.

The saleswoman gave him a funny look, but when Arthur confirmed his request she shrugged, clearly thinking of her commission before dragging Arthur along, already starting to talk about a lot of things that Arthur didn't understand.

The first thing he bought was the kangaroo to carry Ivan and with the baby safe against his chest he went after the rest. As they were in February, it was early spring in England, and knowing their rainy weather, the saleswoman recommended not only knitwear, but also cotton and linen and somehow convinced him to include overalls and more cool clothes than Arthur. thought it necessary, just in case.

It also included some mittens, caps, and various shoes and socks, also in various sizes, bibs, diaper towels, baby diapers, drying towels, sheets, anti-suffocating pillows (and Arthur was terrified to imagine that Russia might have been died on his bed that morning), as well as blankets.

Then there were the cradles. Arthur felt sick at the price of cribs, wondering how something so small could be so expensive, but he still bought a beautiful Elizabethan crib to dock in his bed - since Arthur was reluctant to leave little Russia alone, given his size - and a changing table along with it, the price went up a little more when the saleswoman included the toiletry kit in the middle.

As Ivan could get feverish again, thermometers and baby health products were included along with a walker and lunch chair, little plates and so much more that at some point Arthur stopped trying to keep up, just smiling and waving when the saleswoman said something. thing.

Arthur also had to bring a bathtub, a stroller that fit into his car (and budget) and of course the baby car seat, which he considered the most important. Arthur didn't know how long he was in the store, but he felt hungry leaving the store with a bunch of bags and as he had more shopping to do, Arthur decided to go to a restaurant, choosing a simple, family restaurant with sidewalk tables, not wanting to draw too much attention.

\- Excuse me, could you serve him a soup? – Arthur asked the waitress, who just as the saleswoman couldn't help but comment on how handsome the baby was, much to Arthur's annoyance that just wanted to be able to eat something without attracting attention.

Luckily Russia didn't bother, devouring the soup with a voracity that made it seem like he hadn't eaten in a long time. A little worried, Arthur examined him for evidence of starvation, but the baby was chubby. The British nation still fed him some crushed banana, laughing softly at the baby's lovely expression. Russia or not, Arthur understood why everyone was delighted with him; Ivan was handsome, the cutest baby Arthur had ever seen, and it was amazing to imagine that this lovely baby had once been the dreaded Eurasian nation.

\- You could be like that every day, right? I bet it would be so much nicer to have you around. – Arthur commented, feeling a little guilty soon after.

After Arthur's restaurant, he still had to buy toys for the growing teeth and necessary food that a child of that age would need, listening to so many recommendations that he felt dizzy. When they finally got home, both adults and babies were tired, Ivan sucking more than nibbling on a toy, drooling against Arthur's chest, who was far from caring at the moment.

\- Let's eat one more time and sleep, right, little one? – Arthur asked, gently poking his chubby cheek, causing a breathy sound that made him sigh, with only a slight trace of smile on his tired face.

Arthur prepared the formula and fed Ivan through a bottle, which once again devoured his food voraciously despite being almost asleep. It was funny to watch the baby fall asleep for a minute before waking up and continuing to consume the formula, sometimes even swallowing while snoring.

After making him burp, Arthur put Russia in the car seat and turned to his chores. He had to get things out of the car and find a place for all that, but not knowing how long Russia would stay that way he didn't know if he could fix his own room or an adjoining one. Arthur didn't want to keep the child out of sight, though, noting that he was a little hotter than he should, though he didn't seem too bothered and feared that the fever might come back.

The British nation was exhausted, but didn’t complain, watching Russia sleep soundly before taking action. He would make room in his room for baby things tomorrow; for now he would just keep the kitchen stuff and take some clothes and items for when he went to bathe Ivan again.

The moon was already high when Arthur finally finished his task and too exhausted to go up to the bedroom and even more to carry a child with him, Arthur fell asleep on the couch himself, Russia’s car seat in front of him, the baby wrapped tightly in a warm blanket.

As he was slowly swallowed by sleep Arthur remembered his former colonies, memories of childish laughter and voices calling his name lulling him into a sweet sleep and before Arthur was completely erased he had the impression of seeing a child who was not part of his memories, a child in thick animal skin and skin as pale as snow that smiled sweetly at him, saying words that Arthur could not recognize but knew he could only see from one nation.

\- Старший брат… Старший брат! (Starshiy brat… Starshiy brat! - _* big brother_ )


	2. Two Instead of One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back. I'm finally on vacation and the updates won't be long. I hope you stay with me until the end and notice: this end will take a while to arrive.  
> Warnings:  
> \- Hetalia doesn't belong to me;  
> \- Let your kudos and comments;

_Não sei se o mundo é bom, mas ele ficou melhor quando você chegou. - Nando Reis_

* * *

The next day came with the cloudy gray sky, the smell of the coming rain saturating the air. In short, it was one of those sad days that seemed to undermine anyone's mood, including England. He was awakened from his deserved sleep by a painfully crying Russia and after checking, much to Arthur's dismay he saw that yes, Russia had a highest fever than the day before.

\- For the queen… - Arthur sighed, running to help the child. He prepared a warm bath, grateful for the new tub, and wrapped Ivan in a soft blanket after, measuring his temperature and grunting in frustration at 38 degrees. What should he do? Should he take the boy to the doctor? Would it be useful?

Doubtfully, Arthur made a mental list of medicines for the child, as he had none at the moment and tried the basic techniques for lowering the fever, hoping that would be enough for now. He spent the night awake, feeding Ivan with small doses of formula, watching how he would cry whenever the bottle was removed, distracting himself when Arthur hummed to him, although he still whimpered.

To his relief, the Briton found no other symptoms, such as a sore throat or an earache, and he ensured that Ivan was well-hydrated, a damp cloth in his hand fulfilling the function of cooling the baby’s face. Before he knew it, the day dawned and the old empire had not nailed his eye at all, Ivan still whimpering in discomfort.

\- I didn't remember babies being so tiring… - Arthur sighed to himself, rubbing Ivan's face carefully. _"Even though I don't take care of any babies, necessarily."_

Yawning, Arthur decided to prepare something to eat, keeping Ivan against his chest with the kangaroo when he refused to let go of him. Arthur figured there would be no problem as long as he made sure he didn't do anything too laborious.

He offered more food to Ivan, who ate quickly and seemed to calm down after that, sleeping and drooling on his chest. Sighing, Arthur put a diaper under the baby's mouth and took a nap. He was awakened two hours later by the sound of his doorbell.

He heard the sound in the distance and had the impression of hearing footsteps, followed by the sound of his door opening and the sound of voices, but he was so tired that he slept again, waking hours later with a whimpering baby on his face.

_"And I hoping it was a nightmare…"_ Arthur sighed, getting up and looking at Ivan, who was pouting. – Ok, ok, you're hungry, right? Don't worry, let's feed.

Arriving in the kitchen, surprise, surprise, the table was full of fruits and vegetables and pots with stew. With a raised eyebrow, the Briton was surprised to see some fairies and gnomes come out from behind the food along with Flying Mint Bunny, who immediately flew to Arthur's shoulder.

\- Hi Arthur! - Blusky greeted them, immediately flying to Ivan.

\- Blusky! What are you doing here? And why all this ?! - Arthur asked, already advancing to the food while Ivan laughed to see the fairies. The fact that Ivan could see them left the old nation a little surprised. – I didn't think he could see you... - He commented, watching the fairies fly around Ivan's head, some pulling his hair playfully.

\- He is still a child; they are purer, even the nations! - Biljuhra, a little gardener gnome, explained.

\- You looked very tired; That's why we brought food for you! Oh, and we answer your door. They delivered some things to your room! - A male fairy with orange wings with brown spots replied, revolving around the two nations.

\- WHAT?! – Arthur panicked briefly. - How…

\- Don't worry, we were undercover. - Flying Mint Bunny guaranteed. – You were so tired you didn't even wake up to the noise…

\- Well, I was tired; I didn't sleep well tonight! – Arthur justified, a little embarrassed.

\- You're only taking care of him for a day and it's already like this... You really got old! – Flying Mint Bunny scolded him and Arthur would have been mad at her had it not been for the gentle pat on his face that made the british sigh with exhaustion and frustration.

\- We brought some stew! This should help calm the child's pain! – Another gnome, looking as old as an old wrinkled parchment, a long beard and leaning on a cane, spoke, his body trembling with age weakness.

\- Thank you. Not that I'm complaining, but why are you here?

\- We want to see the baby! – Blusky answered with excitement. – It's been a long time since these cuties were in this house and everyone is very excited!

\- You must take him to the woods later, Arthur! – The male fairy, Brown, asked, and Arthur made a sound of doubt, but he could understand their joy and anxiety. It wasn't always that people could see them, especially these days and it wasn't much fun just with Arthur there.

\- Maybe; but before... – Arthur hurried to grab some food when Ivan whimpered.

\- He's so adorable! – Brown commented with a giggle, watching Ivan eat.

Arthur had a comment about it already on the tip of his tongue, but just rolled his eyes and continued to feed Ivan, taking a spoonful here and there. He had not tasted gnome food in a long time; It was made with natural products and had a rich flavor and was very nutritious. Arthur was sure he could beat the cuisine of any other country, including France. Too bad it wasn't always that he could taste such a delicacy.

Russia seemed to agree, because it was not at all pleased when the food ran out, threatening to cry if it were not for the distraction the creatures offered; while eating Arthur couldn’t help but feel a certain melancholy joy to see the little nation having fun with the fairies and gnomes seeming to notice his mood, Flying Mint Bunny once again caressed his face, to which Arthur rolled his eyes affectionately before returning the caress.

The next day came with the cloudy gray sky, the smell of the coming rain saturating the air. In short, it was one of those sad days that seemed to undermine anyone's mood, including England. He was awakened from his deserved sleep by a painfully crying Russia and after checking, much to Arthur's dismay he saw that yes, Russia had a highest fever than the day before.

\- For the queen… - Arthur sighed, running to help the child. He prepared a warm bath, grateful for the new tub, and wrapped Ivan in a soft blanket after, measuring his temperature and grunting in frustration at 38 degrees. What should he do? Should he take the boy to the doctor? Would it be useful?

Doubtfully, Arthur made a mental list of medicines for the child, as he had none at the moment and tried the basic techniques for lowering the fever, hoping that would be enough for now. He spent the night awake, feeding Ivan with small doses of formula, watching how he would cry whenever the bottle was removed, distracting himself when Arthur hummed to him, although he still whimpered.

To his relief, the Briton found no other symptoms, such as a sore throat or an earache, and he ensured that Ivan was well-hydrated, a damp cloth in his hand fulfilling the function of cooling the baby’s face. Before he knew it, the day dawned and the old empire had not nailed his eye at all, Ivan still whimpering in discomfort.

\- I didn't remember babies being so tiring… - Arthur sighed to himself, rubbing Ivan's face carefully. _"Even though I don't take care of any babies, necessarily."_

Yawning, Arthur decided to prepare something to eat, keeping Ivan against his chest with the kangaroo when he refused to let go of him. Arthur figured there would be no problem as long as he made sure he didn't do anything too laborious.

He offered more food to Ivan, who ate quickly and seemed to calm down after that, sleeping and drooling on his chest. Sighing, Arthur put a diaper under the baby's mouth and took a nap. He was awakened two hours later by the sound of his doorbell.

He heard the sound in the distance and had the impression of hearing footsteps, followed by the sound of his door opening and the sound of voices, but he was so tired that he slept again, waking hours later with a whimpering baby on his face.

_"And I hoping it was a nightmare…"_ Arthur sighed, getting up and looking at Ivan, who was pouting. – Ok, ok, you're hungry, right? Don't worry, let's feed.

Arriving in the kitchen, surprise, surprise, the table was full of fruits and vegetables and pots with stew. With a raised eyebrow, the Briton was surprised to see some fairies and gnomes come out from behind the food along with Flying Mint Bunny, who immediately flew to Arthur's shoulder.

\- Hi Arthur! - Blusky greeted them, immediately flying to Ivan.

\- Blusky! What are you doing here? And why all this ?! - Arthur asked, already advancing to the food while Ivan laughed to see the fairies. The fact that Ivan could see them left the old nation a little surprised. – I didn't think he could see you... - He commented, watching the fairies fly around Ivan's head, some pulling his hair playfully.

\- He is still a child; they are purer, even the nations! - Biljuhra, a little gardener gnome, explained.

\- You looked very tired; That's why we brought food for you! Oh, and we answer your door. They delivered some things to your room! - A male fairy with orange wings with brown spots replied, revolving around the two nations.

\- WHAT?! – Arthur panicked briefly. - How…

\- Don't worry, we were undercover. - Flying Mint Bunny guaranteed. – You were so tired you didn't even wake up to the noise…

\- Well, I was tired; I didn't sleep well tonight! – Arthur justified, a little embarrassed.

\- You're only taking care of him for a day and it's already like this... You really got old! – Flying Mint Bunny scolded him and Arthur would have been mad at her had it not been for the gentle pat on his face that made the british sigh with exhaustion and frustration.

\- We brought some stew! This should help calm the child's pain! – Another gnome, looking as old as an old wrinkled parchment, a long beard and leaning on a cane, spoke, his body trembling with age weakness.

\- Thank you. Not that I'm complaining, but why are you here?

\- We want to see the baby! – Blusky answered with excitement. – It's been a long time since these cuties were in this house and everyone is very excited!

\- You must take him to the woods later, Arthur! – The male fairy, Brown, asked, and Arthur made a sound of doubt, but he could understand their joy and anxiety. It wasn't always that people could see them, especially these days and it wasn't much fun just with Arthur there.

\- Maybe; but before... – Arthur hurried to grab some food when Ivan whimpered.

\- He's so adorable! – Brown commented with a giggle, watching Ivan eat.

Arthur had a comment about it already on the tip of his tongue, but just rolled his eyes and continued to feed Ivan, taking a spoonful here and there. He had not tasted gnome food in a long time; It was made with natural products and had a rich flavor and was very nutritious. Arthur was sure he could beat the cuisine of any other country, including France. Too bad it wasn't always that he could taste such a delicacy.

Russia seemed to agree, because it was not at all pleased when the food ran out, threatening to cry if it were not for the distraction the creatures offered; while eating Arthur couldn’t help but feel a certain melancholy joy to see the little nation having fun with the fairies and gnomes seeming to notice his mood, Flying Mint Bunny once again caressed his face, to which Arthur rolled his eyes affectionately before returning the caress.

After sunset Arthur went up to his room to see what had been delivered and seeing the mess of cardboard packaging, sacks of various sizes on the bed and all the other products that needed to be stored, a little discouragement descended upon him. the old empire, but those things needed to be kept unless he wanted to sleep on the boxes.

\- Okay, Flying Mint Bunny, you're his official nanny! – Arthur decreed, placing the two on the bed, the green rabbit next to Ivan, who watched her curiously before turning to Arthur, whimpering to see him walk away. – Hey, hey, it's fine, little one. I'm still here! – Arthur soothed him, pleased when Ivan seemed to understand and turned his attention to Flying Mint Bunny, who moved it’s muzzle.

The gesture made Ivan laugh and totally distracted, he didn’t bother when Arthur walked away. Rummaging through the pile of cardboard-wrapped boxes and furniture, Arthur began planning where to put everything.

First he decided to keep the toiletries; shampoos, soaps, talcum powder, diapers and sponges going into the bathroom, big enough for the new additions. The house had not been designed with children in mind, but due to the influences of its time as an empire, the house, though modest on the outside, was large on the inside, with plenty of space and with the coming of its colonies into its home and over time, changes had been made here and there.

Still, Arthur was a little surprised to see how his bathroom had changed, baby products popping here and there between his products, giving the bathroom a different look. It was almost impressive. After that he went back to the bedroom and decided that he would set up the wardrobe first. It was a simple piece in a shade of blue so light it was almost white, with two doors and two drawers. Arthur himself decided to assemble the furniture, not seeing the need to wait for the assembler, with the help of a small manual and many parts (and many mumbled profanity).

\- I hope you don't learn his language. It would be funny to see him speak, but I think some nations could go into shock and that would be bad. – Flying Mint Bunny commented to Ivan, not seeming to mind that he was pulling one of it’s ears.

It was mid-afternoon when Arthur finally - finally - managed to finish assembling the wardrobe; Arthur didn't remember that setting up simple furniture was so tiring and he still had to put his clothes away and set up his crib. Tired, Arthur threw himself on the bed, making his two small occupants jump a little in the air and Ivan laughed.

Turning with a little difficulty and wrapping himself in the sheets, Ivan tried to reach Arthur, grumbling and whimpering when he couldn't, which attracted the darker blonde's attention.

Smiling when he saw that he had the attention he wanted, the little baby crawled across the covers until he reached Arthur's shirt (not a great distance, but for a baby whose legs were barely holding up…), babbling incomprehensible things and laughing as he reached. your goal by looking at Arthur with big eyes.

At first Arthur tensed, seeing that familiar yet unfamiliar face creep over him, but with Ivan's laughter his whole body relaxed and he smiled.

\- Yes, yes, congratulations, you reached me. – Arthur congratulated him with a pat on the head. Wow, Russia's hair was really soft. Was it like that as an adult too? Wait ... What was he thinking?!

Before Arthur could panic over the strange thoughts (in his opinion) Ivan screamed and slapped his sternum with his hand, causing some pain from the impact and bringing Arthur back to reality.

\- By the queen, Russia, watch out! – He mumbled without real anger in his voice.

\- Why don't you call him by his name, Arthur?

\- What?! Well, because it's ... weird! – Arthur replied, a little awkward. – He is Russia; There is no way to call him by another name!

\- But he is not just Russia, just as you are not just England…

\- Is different! Arthur insisted and Flying Mint Bunny tilted his head, his muzzle twitching rapidly.

\- Really? I dont understand; He doesn't just look like Russia. – The little green creature spoke, poking Ivan with a paw and he grunted and clung more to Arthur, watching him with big curious eyes before laughing, which made the Briton raise one thick eyebrow.

Arthur looked at Russia and tried to see what Flying Mint Bunny was saying and unconsciously his arms wrapped around the small body, squeezing it tightly in his chest, but close enough that the tiny beats of the tiny heart could be felt in his own body.

\- Maybe not. _"At least he's nicer than before."_ – Arthur thought to himself.

* * *

_"Okay, I take back what I said!"_ Arthur mumbled to himself as he tried to stop Ivan from crying, pacing the room with the feverish baby in his arms. The Briton wondered if this was some kind of karma. Russia's illness - whatever it was - seemed to intensify at night, preventing him from getting a good sleep.

Humming softly in the hopes of calming the baby, Arthur went down to the kitchen and quickly warmed up some of the stew he had the wits to spare, pleased when Ivan stopped crying, although he still looked uncomfortable.

\- You know, I can't sleep during the day like you, so sleep soon, yes? – Arthur asked with a sigh of pain, huffing when Ivan just stared at him for a moment before turning his attention to the food.

Once the meal was over and the herbs were in effect the Russian leaned against Arthur's chest and yawned sleepily, his eyes closing as the Englishman rubbed his stomach. The small hands gripped his fingers in a tight grip, but not enough to hurt and Arthur stared at pale baby’s fingers for a while, thoughtful.

\- You know, I wonder how you became a baby… I imagine you won't be happy when you get back to normal. Don't even think about being mad at me, did you hear me? I had nothing to do with it!

Ivan looked at Arthur with such intelligent eyes, though they began to close in sleep, that the older nation for a moment thought he really understood him. For a moment he feared that Russia was there, just trapped in a baby's body, but fully aware of its surroundings.

That thought was gone, however, when Ivan smiled at him. Not the creepy smile of Russia but a gentle smile with growing teeth, the eyes so pure that any trace of the old great nation disappeared completely, even though the face was the same and without realizing Arthur was smiling.

\- But you really are cute!

\- Daah!

The babbling made Arthur laugh for some reason and he decided not to worry about these things for now. He had bigger things to worry about and knew his whole routine would be different now that it wasn't just him in that house anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The inspiration to write this was a serie of old fics and I'll left here some of them; Unfortunately, not all are finished, but they are great readings and are worth it. A baby Russia is the most adorable thing there, isn't it?
> 
> Frozem Sunflowers by Jet Set Radio Yoyo: fanfiction.net/s/6411944/1  
> Instinct by V.9.5: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12977504/1  
> The Boy in the Corner by ChubbyCubby23: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9646372/1  
> My inspiration for a Baby Russia: Slight mishap by Hetalia Trumpet: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10195330/1  
> The Family Baby by Gaziover12 https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9143103/1


	3. Fatherly Sacrifices

_Tão pequeno em minhas mãos, inocente ao meu olhar e com aquele maravilhoso sorriso que nenhum sentimento é capaz de explicar. - 42frases.com.br_

* * *

Having a baby… It was nothing like Arthur thought it would be. Overnight - literally - Arthur's whole life changed to accommodate the needs of that little being who had invaded his home: his kitchen was filled with bottles, formulas and baby food, his room had been completely changed to suit the child, Ivan's crib attached to his bed and the changing table residing in a corner of the room, next to the wardrobe.

It was at that time also Arthur realized how expensive baby products were. They were tiny! Shouldn't they be cheaper? Especially diaper packs. Ah, the diapers… Arthur didn't think a baby could be so stinky, or so dirty, but of course, Ivan always seemed to show that he was wrong in his assumptions, especially as a baby.

Mercifully, Ivan was a calm baby, as long as he had his beloved scarf wrapped around him and Arthur was around, and often the old empire found himself sitting at his desk with Ivan drooling on his kangaroo-bound chest or in the car seat next to his feet. The only problem was the pains that Ivan seemed to constantly feel, making him cry and sob until his body trembled and / or he fell asleep from the tiredness, still clearly distressed and Arthur would then cry, wanting to make Ivan feel better, but not knowing how.

It was painful to hear the sobs and to know that he was powerless to cure him. It made him feel as if he had failed as a homeland. Why was taking care of Russian so much more complicated than with its former colonies?

Arthur sought a doctor, of course; the fourth night Ivan woke up in tears he got into his car and drove to the nearest health center as soon as dawn came. He remembered looking at the building in front of him with Ivan firmly in his arms, an old Victorian house that had been restored and modernized and located just at the beginning of the streets where the countryside became urban; A large white sign reading “General Practitioner” hung in the small trimmed garden.

The clinic wasn't crowded, but there were a few patients there who barely spared her a glance as Arthur walked in, walking over to the receptionist who immediately recognized him, the only reason she didn't ask for Ivan's medical record and not question who he was. Arthur also remembered that as he waited, in a room full of strangers, how restless Ivan was and he could only hope that the doctor would help in some way.

He wasn't sure if it had been of great help or not.

The doctor did all the basic exams possible; listened Ivan’s lungs and heart, checked his eyes, ears and throats and took his temperature. The doctor was still very costly able to weigh Ivan and measure his size, and the diagnosis was secretion in the lungs and inflammation in the ears, plus some sensitivity to light, but nothing more. Ivan had a good weight, hydrated skin and healthy hair… He had nothing but a common fever, which Arthur knew wasn't true. This constant fever and suffering couldn’t be common.

Arthur sighed in pain as he tried to calm Ivan down by crying in his arms, a low, sobbing wail that was honestly painful for Arthur to hear, not knowing what to do to calm the child and feeling increasingly desperate. Not to mention the headache he had been feeling for not getting enough sleep and for waking up for the fifth night in the middle of the night.

\- Please, Russia... – Arthur pleaded, even though he knew the child would not understand.

He did everything he could: he sang a song, tried to feed him, gave him a warm bath, put damp diapers on him, even home remedies Arthur gave him, but Ivan still cried.

\- Why is he crying, Arthur? He's sick?! – Flying Mint Bunny asked as she hovered over them worriedly.

\- I dont know; I don't understand anything about babies! Damn, why can't they just talk?! Not even wrapping him in that damn scarf seems to help!

\- Maybe he's cold? – Another fairy suggested, and Arthur actually figured that might be the problem; Ivan was so cold, but he had tried everything and could do little to change it.

\- Russia is a cold country, so I believe Ivan is too; I think I can do nothing about it! – Arthur sighed, feeling rather useless. He wrapped Ivan in his arms and caressed his pale chest and belly, relieved as Ivan slowly calmed down, until all he did was sniffle and look at Arthur with his tear-bright violet eyes.

\- Ready, ready, don't cry, Ivan, it's all right. You'll be fine soon, I promise! – Arthur kissed the pale forehead.

\- He looks really bad… - Ailujhy commented with concern.

\- Human medicines have no effect. At least not as they should. I tried! I don't know what to do anymore… - Arthur sighed, sitting up in bed and regretting it immediately when exhaustion overwhelmed him.

\- If human remedies don't work, why don't you try one of ours? – Brown suggested, hovering around Arthur before landing on Ivan's grumbling head, still wiggling for a while in the arms that held him firmly before calming down, slowly falling asleep.

\- I don't know if I would do any good, especially considering the unknown magic about him and the only medicines I can make require time that I don't have!

\- What's the problem? We can help you take care of him and the magic won't interfere with the medicines! - Blusky assured with a smile that knows he is right and Arthur wondered: why not? Russia didn’t deserve to suffer like this.

\- OK. Tomorrow… Tomorrow I will go to the forest!

And as promised, when the morning came Arthur found himself walking through the woods surrounding his house, Ivan strapped to his chest by the kangaroo, looking around curiously. Never before in his life had the little nation seen so much greenery and beauty, and he laughed whenever he came in contact with the sun or spotted a different animal.

This brought relief to Arthur, knowing that Ivan was fine (at least for now). Humming to himself and carrying a sickle and a basket, the Englishman began to search for herbs in the forest, easily getting lost in the task. It reminded him of his younger days, when magic ran more freely through the earth and he was constantly roaming the woods for ingredients for his potions and spells.

They returned home three hours later with a basket full and a tired, sweaty but satisfied former empire. He had already removed from the basement everything he would need for the medicine; a small tin cauldron, a spoon made of holy oak and water from a spirit-purified spring, and some strands of unicorn mane and beards of an ancient fairy that his friends brought him.

The potion itself wasn't too complicated, but it required a dedication of at least twenty-four hours of cooking and two more infusing its magical power into the liquid and being to a nation, there needed a little more attention to brewing and with Russia as a baby, it was a time he hadn’t left. Arthur could only hope that his friends would actually deliver the goods while for the next twenty-four hours he leaned over the cauldron hanging over the hearth fire.

It was a rather monotonous task; chop some ingredients, pour into the liquid, mix and boil until it is time to put the next ingredient, always mindful of the fire. Though drab, Arthur found himself dozing several times and once almost fell on the cauldron, if not for Flying Mint Bunny tossing it aside.

Arthur was grateful that the potion hadn’t been burned and wasted, but the impression of a small green paw on his right ribs was not something he wanted to have.

\- You should pay more attention, Arthur. – The little flying rabbit scolded him and Arthur wondered if she did these things on purpose. It wasnot his fault for being so tired and sleeping asleep; while not a stranger to sleepless nights, so many nights in a row caring and worrying about Ivan were really undermining his energies and making him tired and cranky.

\- Yes, yes, whatever. - Arthur snorted, shoving a log into the fire a little harder than necessary. 

Having fed Ivan before starting the task, Arthur had no problem until nightfall, when the baby demanded for Arthur's food and attention, not content until the Englishman took him in his arms, where he slept. Putting Ivan in the more than useful little chair with a blanket covering him, Arthur spent the night light, time in the cauldron, time in his armchair, devoting himself to embroidery as a way of distracting himself and he was relieved that Ivan had not awakened that night in pain, sleeping all night.

There was already a ready-made baby food that Arthur made with the help of an internet video and left it to the fairies to feed Ivan, getting mad at them when they discovered that they had given him a whole pot.

\- What were you thinking?! A pot is too big for a baby his size! – Arthur scolded, rubbing Ivan's stomach and hoping he didn't have a stomachache or anything.

\- But he looked hungry... He kept asking for more! – An elf whimpered and the island nation sighed.

\- Russia eats too much; This is not healthy for him! At this size, the right amount is half a pot! – He explained, showing off the half-pound jelly jars he used to store baby food.

One thing he noticed was that Ivan ate too much and if Arthur didn't give him enough, he was pretty sure he would cry until he received more food, which was about the same as a four-year-old. Arthur regretted the plight of the little nation, knowing it was a famine that would hardly go through his situation and even though Ivan looked good, he kept a close eye on how much he consumed. He didn't want to deal with a baby with a stomachache and more irritated than he already was.

\- Arthur. Arthur! The cauldron! - Flying Mint Bunny reminded him flying to him and with a scream remembering what he should be doing, Arthur ran into the room, Ivan laughing in his arms.

Luckily the potion didn't go out and after lunch it was almost done. And just in time; Ivan began to whimper and become feverish, writhing in the covers that surrounded him.

\- Easy, Ivan, it's almost done. – Arthur muttered, filling a jug with the pale green liquid he produced. He would have to hold the jar now for two hours as he concentrated to pour out as much magical power as he could inside, and only then would the medicine have the expected effect.

Ivan seemed unwilling to wait, however, weeping and sniffling against Arthur's chest, who in an attempt to distract him from his discomfort, paced the room, Ivan in one arm and the jar in the other. When that didn't work, Arthur tried to read, also without much success.

It was the most stressful two hours of the month he had to face, which, with the changes in his life, meant something. As the two hours passed, Arthur sat in a chair in the kitchen with Ivan on his lap and some of his magical friends surrounding them, curious to see if it would work.

Stirring the liquid with a silver spoon to cool, Arthur soothed the baby and held the spoon out to him, Ivan immediately opening his mouth to swallow what was offered. From the expression he made was not very pleasant, but Arthur managed to get him to swallow it by offering two more spoons.

It took about five minutes to take effect, but when it did, Ivan calmed down and leaned back against Arthur, looking quite calm and happy. The Briton let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding, rubbing the baby's back with a contented smile.

\- Glad it worked… “I never thought I'd be so happy to see Russia smile.”

\- GuuhAhahaah! Ivan seemed to agree with him, gripping Arthur's hair and pulling with a little force that made the dark blond protest in pain.

\- Hey, stop it! “Even as a baby he seems to appreciate the pain of others; no wonder it's Russia! ”What do you think we take a nap, little one?

Ivan murmured and gestured to be placed on the table, grabbing the objects and laughing with happiness. He didn't look tired at all, and the older man had to settle for a few more hours awake before he could finally rest.


	4. A Day Away From Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year for Everyone and Thanks to Read This!  
> Hetalia doesn't belong to me.

_Um bebê é o maior presente que uma geração pode deixar para outra - Autor Desconhecido_

* * *

Arthur was having a nice dream. In his dream he was a child again, running across a long green field, laughing and ignoring the woman's calls behind him to slow down. He didn't wanna go slow. Arthur wanted to run, needed to run.

Every three steps he took, the little nation grew, his clothes changing, as well as the environment around him and from a verdant field he turned to a snowy field that prevented his steps, but what prevented him from running was to see a small figure crawling through the snow; the figure - probably a human - was wearing a fur coat a little darker than snow and carrying a spear.

Arthur felt he knew this unknown person and he tried to call her, but when he opened his mouth Arthur found himself choking and his vision blurring. Desperate to be able to breathe, Arthur waved his arms and his body shuddered, his eyes staring at a colored stain as something was on his face.

Quickly but carefully, Arthur lifted the weight from his face, seeing Russia, who looked quite innocent. A glance at the clock showed that it was a few minutes to six in the morning and he groaned.

\- Why are you up so early?

Russia grunted, but tired, Arthur ignored him, pulling him to his side and turning sideways, ready for sleep. This didn't please the baby, who writhed and whimpered, pushing the adult and when he got no response he tried to crawl over him, whimpering and kicking him. Grunting, Arthur looked at the insistent baby, who stammered louder and rubbed his stomach, indicating that he was hungry, starting to cry when Arthur didn't move fast enough.

\- Ok, ok, don't cry. I got it; you are hungry, right? - Arthur sighed when Ivan shouted, demanding for food, laughing with satisfaction when he was caught and he also laughed, touching the stomach of Ivan with his fingers playfully, causing joyful gurgling of the child. - Hunger, hunger. You're hungry, aren't you ?!

\- Daaahaah!

\- Da, huh? Did you know this is one of your favorite words? You kept talking it… - Arthur commented, more to himself than to the child, checking his watch. 11:45 a.m.  
Picking up the car seat, Arthur crawled into the kitchen, leaving the baby on the table as he grabbed the ingredients from the fridge, grimacing as he realized he would have to go shopping soon. A moan from Ivan reminded him of his task and he picked up the necessary ingredients, closing the fridge with one foot as he headed for the stove.

The kitchen was soon filled with the smell of food, and Russia became more agitated, clearly wanting to eat, especially when Arthur began placing pieces of apples, cookies and some tea from the day before.

\- Calm down, Russia, this is not for you!

\- Aaaguhh! - The baby seemed to protest, calming down when Arthur stroked his chin. Another thing about Ivan was that it was enough for Arthur to give her a little attention or affection to calm him down, usually smiling and fidgeting in his car seat. It was ridiculous how easy it was to calm the baby down, especially now that he wasn't suffering from constant fevers and regardless of being Russia, the sounds he made were so sweet in Arthur's ears that the island nation couldn't help but feel that. heat in your chest while having another child over your care.

\- Okay, before food it's time for your medicine, little one. Open your mouth! - Arthur asked, taking the silver spoon full of pale green liquid and already able to recognize its contents, the baby refused at first, grimacing. - Russia…

\- Naaihbhuuuh! - Russia protested, blowing a few bubbles of drool as he averted his head.

\- Come on, be a good boy. Who is my good boy ?! - Arthur scratched his belly, laughing and rubbing his nose against Russia's provocatively, making him laugh and seizing the opportunity the older man stuck the spoon in the mouth of the child, who immediately grimaced and tried to spit, but Arthur prevented him .

Russia's eyes watered after the arduous task and smiling at the baby's drama, Arthur kissed his forehead and changed the spoons, bringing the food closer to the baby, who immediately perked up.

Arthur fed Russia small spoonfuls, swallowing some food between portions he offered to the boy, pleased to see someone eat his food with gusto. After they were done he left the child on the back porch in front of the door, so that the little one would have fun in the sunlight as he liked and he could clean the dishes without any problem. A quick check on his kitchen showed Arthur everything he would need to buy and by making a quick checklist the British nation decided to go to the market to replace his kitchen.

After taking another shower and changing Ivan's dirty diapers, of course.  
Humming to himself, Arthur made a bag with what Russia would need: a pair of gloves and hat in his bag just in case, plus baby food, diapers and other things, and dressed him in a cute teddy bear jumpsuit.

Russia was such a cute thing that, without resisting, Arthur had to take a picture with his cell phone, figuring he might use it as blackmail at some point. Most likely when Russia threatened him.

He pinned Russia's car seat in the backseat, stroking his hair as the baby whimpered, forcing him to talk to him all the way. It was as if the child was afraid of being alone, needing confirmation that Arthur was still there and if the British nation stopped talking, the baby whimpered and moaned.

This made the old empire wonder if there was anything wrong with Ivan's creation. He didn't know much about Russian (like most other countries, he imagined), but he knew that his story was violent and troubled and wondered if his torment had anything to do with old memories, though there was also the fact that no country had come as a baby in the past and he didn't know the kind of magic worked on him, nor…

"I'll worry about that later." - Arthur decided, talking to Ivan again when he moaned in protest.

* * *

\- Ok, Russia, we are here! - Arthur exclaimed, getting out of the car and running to the back door. He quickly took the trolley out of the trunk and purse before picking up Ivan, pinning him to the trolley without any problem, though having to reassure Ivan that he was there, stroking his hair before heading for the Borough Market entrance.

It was a Monday and at that time there should not be much movement. It was a little flamboyant, but Arthur figured it would be the most ideal place for him to get quality products for a baby and it wasn't that far from his home. Also, with a baby as gluttonous as Russia, he would have to buy more and sell wholesale products there. His wallet already ached just wondering how much Russia would eat when he grew older, so he pushed that thought away when he realized that he was accepting the idea very easily.

The ride was pleasant, though long. Borough Market was London's oldest gastronomy market, full of food stalls from various countries, as well as breads, cakes, pastries and beverages, cheeses, cold cuts, olive oils, as well as typical products from other countries. ingredients, fruits, vegetables and meat. There were several ready-to-eat stalls concentrated outside Southwark Cathedral while the ingredient stalls are concentrated in the covered section across the street.

Russia looked at everything with wide and curious eyes, also attracting many looks, especially from women, who would sometimes stop to coo over the baby's cuteness and praising Arthur for the beautiful "little brother" he had, but most stayed away, just commenting and smiling about the pale baby.

From time to time Arthur would ask Ivan what he thought of such a product or quantity, almost unknowingly, both to calm Ivan, who would occasionally make a noise to get his attention and to ward off the sleep that was weighing on his eyes. After the fifth time Arthur lost count of how many times he had yawned and had to pause after a few hours of shopping he had to pause.

\- Let's take a short break, okay?

Not waiting for an answer, Arthur walked to a stoop, placing his groceries in the cart basket before leaning against the wall, immediately picking up Russia on his lap as he waved his little hands.

\- You're a picky baby, did you know that? - Arthur teased gently, holding the little body to his chest and smiling as Russia clung to him, looking around curiously. Humming to himself, the Briton looked up at the sky, pleased to see the sun after cloudy days.

A croak from Russia drew his attention to the baby, who was watching him with big curious eyes and Arthur felt his heart race a little under that look, but unlike what was expected, there was no fear there.

Smiling at the small nation in his arms Arthur began to play with him, eliciting happy laughs that made him feel complete. That desire that had been constantly burning in his chest in recent years seemed to have calmed and slowly cooled each day and Arthur couldn't help but cling to Russia, not when he looked so happy with Arthur.

When was anyone truly happy in your presence?

\- Babies are cute, aren't they? - They seem to have the ability to lift our spirits! A female voice commented beside her and surprised Arthur turned to the left, seeing a woman with dark blond hair carrying her own son, a child as small as Ivan, with darker blond hair and who seemed very sleepy. - Oh, I'm sorry for sitting like this, but I couldn't help but see how beautiful your son is!

-Ah, he ... Actually... - Arthur fought the words, thinking of a plausible excuse. - He's my brother… Our mother… She… Um, she's dead!

As soon as he let it go Arthur immediately mentally knocked himself, finding the excuse ridiculous, but to his relief the woman seemed to buy, giving him a pitying look that made him feel guilty.

\- Oh, poor thing. So young ... It must be very difficult for you, isn't it?

\- Well, yes, but not so much ... I took care of my other little brothers, so it's nothing new to me, although sometimes I don't feel prepared for it!

\- I don't think anyone is really prepared for a child of any age, even those planning a pregnancy... A baby is a lot of responsibility, but it's also a very satisfying thing, don't you think? - Seeing someone you cared for so lovingly grows up to become valuable, even a small one, cheers the heart of any parent!

Remembering his former colonies, Arthur had to agree. Yes, he was proud of his former colonies; each one, regardless of whether they left it and how much they grew up. Now, looking at Ivan baby Arthur couldn't help but remember the grown-up Russia, the great intimidating nation, and wondered if all this would impact the nation in any way, if Arthur would be proud of that boy in his arms one day.

"Of course not; It's from Russia we're talking about here! How could I be proud of him?!” – Still, Arthur felt his eyes soften at the sight of the chubby face that seemed positively enchanted with him. – I think so; hope so. It's not easy to take care of him, but… It's good! Having someone who depends on me and wants me around… makes me afraid of doing something wrong.

Realizing what he was saying, Arthur immediately fell silent, his face turning red with embarrassment and he began to stutter apologies, all fumbling. He didn't usually interact much with his people away from politics and the army; It was very problematic to deal directly with them, although sometimes Arthur would walk their lands and observe humans.

The woman just laughed and Arthur felt even more embarrassed. Only his chivalry kept him from running away.

\- I agree. - Said the woman, surprising Arthur, who looked at her with a confused look. - It's wonderful to be able to hold such a small being even when you're tired. I didn't plan to be a mother; I had my first child very early and often thought I couldn't, but every time I looked at my son, that he smiled or laughed at me, I thought “oh, it's ok. I can do this!". It is a wonderful feeling.

Arthur blinked his green eyes, a little stunned by the confession, but then smiled, a small warm, knowing smile.

\- One of the best feelings I've ever felt. - He agreed.  
The two of them spent some time exchanging tips on how to best care for their babies' skin, the suffering of changing diapers and the youtube channels they followed to get maternal care tips, until she had to leave and Arthur considered the break. long enough and returned to shopping.

When he returned to his home, Arthur put everything away and fed Ivan again, having a little battle with the medicine before, which was won with the promise of a delicious banana baby food. The bath followed shortly afterwards, and Arthur could not resist dressing the baby in a jumpsuit with symbols of England.

\- Pfff… I wonder what you would say if you could see yourself using my symbols now! Arthur held back his laughter, taking other pictures of the baby that was kind of imitating a worm, crawling on the bed while babbling nonstop.

With a small smile, Arthur lay down on the bed without caring about the mess of clothes, bottles and wet wipes. He would keep it all later.

\- You're such a cute baby, did you know that? I wonder how you became so cruel…  
Thoughtfully, Arthur watched Ivan try to approach him and without resisting stroked his chubby, chilly cheeks, smiling when he laughed. The chill on his skin was something that worried Arthur, and he knew it bothered Ivan, too, from his crying when his body got too cold. He'd have to turn on the heater tonight… He was so deep in his thoughts that he was startled when a small hand gripped her hair, pulling lightly.

\- You certainly have strength and you seem to like my hair too much. - Arthur grumbled, pushing his little hand away. Despite the pain, he wasn't angry, not when Russia looked at him so innocently and smiled. Laughing to himself Arthur kissed the small hand, relishing the smell of baby and biting playfully, causing laughter.

Man and baby were distracted like this for a while, the older one teasing the baby somehow to make her laugh until Russia began to yawn too much and looking at his watch Arthur saw that it was after eight.

\- I think it's past your time, huh, little one? 

\- Ahabuhh…

\- Yes, yes, that's what I thought

Arthur pulled Ivan to his chest and rocked him to sleep, the weight on his chest somehow calming him to sleep and once again that heat overwhelmed him. The Briton squeezed the Russian personage with affection in his arms, suffocated by various emotions, having to loosen his grip a little as Ivan wriggled with a small grimace in protest, then relaxed.

Heart achingly warm, Arthur felt himself plunging into the darkness of sleep and his last thought was to pull a blanket over them to warm Ivan, both plunging into deserved sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel this chapter is more a filler than a real chapter, but I hope you enjoy it.


	5. First Steps

_Eu só consigo imaginar aonde esses pequenos pés irão durante sua vida. Minha esperança é de que eles nunca esqueçam o caminho de volta para casa._ \- Desconhecido.

* * *

England itself was adaptable. It had to be, to survive centuries of change and innovation, a trait that Arthur displayed in his person, though many thought otherwise. It was not long before the British personification learned to deal with Russia in such an easy way that Arthur wished it had been so in the past with his former colonies.

Russia made many sounds when he wanted something or felt distressed, and he was quick to learn to recognize them; Arthur could recognize when the baby was tired or needed to burp, when he needed a diaper change or wanted to be held. Russia even had a special cry for when he wanted to be in the sun. Russia loved the sun, Arthur realized, always smiling when the sky was clear and they could spend some time on the porch, preferably near the flowering shrubs growing near the porch fence.

Arthur worried that he might develop a pollen allergy or be bitten by an insect, but usually there was always a fairy, gnome, or even a nature spirit nearby, as Flying Mint Bunny and Arthur trusted them with Ivan's safety.

Arthur would say he was getting very good at baby language and he researched a lot about the best ways to take care of Ivan, figuring he was doing a good job if Ivan was laughing most of the time.

\- Ok, Ivan, it's time for you to learn some little things ... The first, I believe is your name. - Arthur fumbled a little, not quite knowing how to say the name without feeling a bit strange, although he used it a few times already.

It was as if Russia would return to normal if Arthur said his human name and punched him right there, but Arthur knew he was being silly and if he was going to take care of the child, he would take care of his abilities, especially if he wanted to have a communication. with Ivan in the future. Arthur had seen in a video that it was important to call the child by name and talk to her constantly to ensure comfort.

It didn’t escape from the British either that the child was slowly but surely growing. Two months at home and the russian seemed to be approaching his first year - physically - and was beginning to mumble the first words, which might or might not be in Russian.

\- Ivan. Come on, say: I-va-n!

\- Yughahaaah! - Ivan replied, raising his head to face Arthur and smile.

\- Okay, hit the first letter. Try again: I-va-nnn!

\- Iiihihanhh!

\- Oh, it's almost gone, Ivan. – Arthur hesitated a little from his use of the name so casually. – Come on, come on. Again!

Arthur continued to teach Ivan to speak his name, pronouncing it slowly before giving up on his obligations. However, as night fell he decided that perhaps reading children's books could help. Russia knew English before, so it might be easy for him to relearn, even because there was no way Arthur could teach him Russian. Luckily the old empire still had some old books in its house.

It then became a new routine for the two countries to spend a few hours poring over a children's book before going to sleep, Arthur sitting in his favorite rocking chair on the porch (or in front of the fireplace when it rained) while holding Ivan in his lap and a book in the other hand.

\- See this here, Ivan? Dog. Do-g! - Arthur separated the syllables for the baby sitting on his lap, holding the book as if they were big people, something that made Arthur smile and caress the soft platinum strands.

\- gaahahahhaah…

\- Hum, you said one right vowel at least. Come on. Let's try this one. – Arthur's finger slid to another figure on the slightly yellowed pages. - Rose. Ro-se!

\- Woooh ... Eeehh!

Arthur felt his heart race as he imagined that Ivan might have actually tried to pronounce the word and he encouraged Ivan to read again. Although progress was slow, Arthur was certain it would soon have results, and of course, his magical friends were also great supporters, surrounding Ivan and trying to get him to speak their names.

\- That's the crudest thing you ever said to me! – Blusky shouted, flapping his wings furiously as he turned away from Ivan, pouting and Flying Mint Bunny approached her, poking her with his nose.

\- Don't bother poor Blusky, he's too young to know his name!

\- I don't see why, my name is very easy! Anyone can tell! - The fairy snorted, but quickly calmed down, approaching Ivan and pulling his hair playfully. Ivan didn't even feel the pull.

\- Can you say 'Iris', baby? – A rainbow-colored butterfly-winged fairy asked, landing on Ivan's head as the chubby hand tried to hold her, the fairy laughing like a child when Ivan fell sideways after trying to grab her from her makeshift seat.

\- No, he should say Ailujhy first, or Ailu, if it's too hard for him! – The jovial looking gnome protested, sitting on the porch fence. – He'll need to know my name to thank me!

\- Thank you for what? – Arthur asked, stopping on the porch stairs to remove the muddy boots. He had enjoyed the pleasant afternoon and the visit of his friends so that he could work in his garden without having to worry about Ivan. His roses were in need of pruning, and after hours of work he was sweaty and a little sunburned, even in his gardener's clothes.

\- A-ah, nothing, nothing! - Ailujhy was quick to convert, flying to Arthur. – Do you think he can say our names soon? How long until he learns to talk?!

\- Ivan is still a small baby, but he is growing up fast; maybe in one or two months, when he has reached his 12/13 months, he will have spoken his first real word! – Arthur said with a small smile, placing the roses he had cut to decorate his house on the porch floor, sitting beside them to remove the dirty gloves and hat.

Stammering, Ivan crawled toward Arthur, his small hands gripping the gray shirt hard enough to make the Englishman bend back with sudden force, and before Arthur could stop Ivan, his other hand gripped one of the rose stalks for a moment. accident, injuring himself in the thorns.

The crying was fully expected and Arthur quickly got up, taking Ivan in his arms and trying to calm him down, a little scared and worried.

\- Don't cry, Ivan. It's ok, shhh, shhh! – Arthur whispered words of comfort to Ivan as he washed the injured area and applied medicine to ward off the pain and disinfect, kissing the band aid after finishing the treatment. – Ready, ready, no more hurts… No hurts… See?

Ivan whimpered and sniffled, fat tears running down his face, staring at the covered bruise before hiding his face in Arthur's chest, moaning in agony, though the pain was no longer so strong.

Hoping to calm Ivan down, Arthur decided it was late enough to give Ivan the baby food, which as soon as he recognized the pot Arthur was holding, he seemed to forget the pain and looked anxiously at the pot, making the Briton laugh.

\- You already know what that is, do not you, Russia? You are so greedy…

\- He is fine? – Blusky walked into the kitchen, looking worried about Ivan.

\- Yes, I think it was more the fright that made him cry. He'll be fine. – Arthur assured as he put Ivan in his lunch chair and went to put the baby food in a small dish, humming to view all the children's objects that occupied his kitchen. – Here, Ivan, food.

-… Ohhd… Ood! – Ivan clapped his hands, pulling Arthur's hand closer to his mouth when he thought he was taking too long to feed him and that made the mystical creatures jittery, approaching him with marvelous eyes.

\- That was ... One word?! – Blusky asked, swirling around Ivan's head.

\- I think it was more like a half word. – Arthur smiled awkwardly, not too surprised that Ivan was learning to say "food" first.

Arthur quickly fed Ivan and slept, figuring that a nap could help the child completely forget about the minor trauma and give him time to do the dishes, his friends saying goodbye to him and leaving Arthur alone with the child.

Arthur must have just finished cleaning the kitchen and was thinking of a good bath and which jar to put his roses in without Ivan crashing again when his cell phone rang, the US national anthem sounding exaggeratedly loud, and the British swore. rudely as he rushed to answer, cursing the American for tampering with his settings and swearing he would make him pay if it was him bothering him again.

\- Alfred, it's good that you have a good reason to be... Oh, Prime Minister! – Arthur gasped, quickly explaining to one of his bosses as he checked to see if Ivan had awakened (thank God, no). – Sorry about that, sir, I thought it was someone else… is there something urgent?

As he walked away from the kitchen, Arthur didn't realize that in fact, yes, Ivan had woken up, and the first thing he did when he saw himself was whimpering in protest, at least until he saw Arthur at the kitchen entrance. Although he didn’t make a tantrum, Ivan was also not happy to be away from his guardian. His baby mind protested against the loss of strong arms that protected and warmed him, and Ivan wanted that warmth so he could return to his nap.

Looking around the playpen Ivan crawled over the padded surface and examined the edges of his prison, babbling as he crawled and once on the edge of the playpen he tried to stand, clinging to the canvas weakly and balancing on his soft legs like the other man did and somehow escaped. His hands, though small, were easily able to tear the screen from the playpen and he suddenly fell, luckily on a pillow, which drowned out his startled noise.

After recovering from the surprise of the fall Ivan turned face down, slowly crawling up the carpet to the sofa, which he used to balance and take the first step, as soft and shaky as a newborn puppy.

\- Daahbuh!

Ivan gripped the couch hard and stumbled, falling to the floor with a muffled sound before trying once more to get up and stumble again. His legs flinched, but he managed to find enough firmness to drag himself to the end of the couch and then release him, having nothing but his legs to support him. It was difficult, but his desire to reach his guardian was greater and so he moved on.

\- I understand, sir. I know the issue is important, but I think we should look more carefully and see…

Verdant eyes darted around the room expecting to see Ivan in the playpen, but instead came across an unprecedented scene: his baby was walking. Walking in, like, on both his legs. How Ivan escaped from the playpen didn't even cross his mind as he marveled at that scene.

\- Oh, my queen ... Excuse me sir, I have to hang up! Oh, it's nothing, I just have to go. Call you latter! Goodbye!

\- GaahAahAhh! – Ivan laughed, reaching out to Arthur before falling to the ground and Arthur quickly ran to help him, holding him and examining him for injuries.

\- Oh my God… are you ok? Ivan? I can not believe; your first steps! Oh, where did I leave my camera? I need to film this! But more importantly… do it again, baby! Can you do it again? Walk to me?! Come on, Ivan, try again!

Ivan laughed at his guardian, not understanding his euphoria, but pleased to be in his arms again. He didn't like it, though, when his guardian stepped away from him again, trying once again to reach Arthur.

\- That's right, come on, Ivan, can you walk to me? – Arthur gently addressed the baby, reaching for him as he knelt, pleasure building in his chest as Ivan tried to stand, reaching out for him. Arthur laughed and curled his fingers in small, animated gestures to persuade him as if he were some kind of hunting dog. – Yes, yes, Ivan, come!

The walk was awkward, crooked legs unaccustomed to carrying the full weight of a glass, footsteps coming out more like stumbling toes than a real walk, but Ivan kept going, eager to reach those arms that opened for welcome. him.

\- Yes! I'm here, I'm here, come on!

Ivan staggered and hurried the last few steps, grabbing Arthur's hands and collapsing onto the wooden porch floor, his diaper cushioning the fall. For a moment the boy looked startled by the abrupt end of his adventure and made a weeping expression, but before that could happen, Arthur grabbed him under his arms and pulled him to his chest in pride.

\- You got it! Ivan, you did it! Damn, why didn't I record this? I can't believe I had the phone in my hands and I didn't film his first steps! – Arthur felt like fighting for this stupidity, until he realized that he was acting like a proud father and felt a little silly, but hearing Ivan laugh he could not shake the feeling, so simply accepted it and hugged Ivan carefully.

Even though Arthur was small compared to several nations, including the former nation he now held, Ivan as a baby was so small and fragile against him… His former colonies were already walking and talking when he welcomed them, so he had not the work of teaching them that and never imagined it would be so… rewarding. Yes, that was the word. Knowing that the Russian nation took its first steps with **his** help somehow brought a powerful sense of pride, indeed. A totally different but familiar kind of power.

He was doing something no one had done before: helping the creepy nation, something no one ever dreamed of doing. The feeling faded a little, however, when Arthur looked at the baby in his arms and realized that he was not dealing with ancient Russia, but with baby Russia; a completely different person.

\- You're so small; so innocent… Russia from before and Russia from now… They don't even seem to be the same person. I look at you now and can't see that creepy nation.

\- Guuhhdah? - Ivan once again tried to stand, receiving the help of Arthur, who put him on both legs again and started walking with him.

\- Yes, you are so amazing, Ivan. Don't be afraid, ok? I am here! I am here. – Arthur whispered as he held Ivan in his footsteps, his words containing a purpose he decided not to explore at that moment.

* * *

Ivan's first steps were something to celebrate, or at least that was what Arthur thought until he realized that with his new skill, Ivan didn't stop quietly. Since the Russian's growth was faster than a normal child's growth, Arthur did not catch up with the crawling phase, or otherwise he would not have been so happy about it.

A walking Ivan (most of the time it was more of a crawl or stumbling between one vertical surface and another) meant an Ivan who got into all sorts of problems.

There was a time Arthur had left him in his crib and went to store the things he had used for the bath, only to return to his room in time to see Ivan about to fall off the edge of the bed. The Briton had never felt so much panic in his life as he did then, and all Ivan did was laugh.

The other day Arthur left him in his office and went to answer the phone, only to return and see that Ivan had pulled some books from God knows where and was tearing the pages. Luckily they weren't so important books, but that made Arthur wary of his documents close to the Russian baby.

Another more recent occurrence was when Ivan managed to crawl onto the porch and nearly collapsed down the steps leading to the garden, being supported by some gnomes who were angry with Arthur for not paying attention to him, much to the British's embarrassment.

It was normal, Arthur reminded himself, that these kinds of incidents would happen when the kids started walking, but he had to relocate his house, putting in corner protectors and sockets, drawer seals, and keeping them all the objects he considered dangerous to Ivan hidden.

\- I wonder if you gave your sisters so much trouble... – Arthur grumbled as he pulled Ivan out of the mud, ignoring the young nation's protests when he was taken out of the garden. Ivan seemed to have developed a great interest in land lately and Arthur didn't think it would be good for a baby, nation or not, and Ivan made his protest clear, crying and waving his arms and legs, hitting Arthur painfully.

It seemed that Russia was strong from an early age, much like Alfred and Arthur could only calm him down after wrapping Ivan in his scarf and cradling him. He got a few purples from Ivan's blows, but as soon as they were gone he didn't care much about it and only took care when Ivan tried to kick him.

Though concerned for Ivan's safety, Arthur could not help feeling ecstatic, a sense of parental pride flooding him as he saw the child's efforts in such a simple gesture, laughing all the time. Ivan's first steps were amazing to witness, and the only thing Ivan regretted was that he couldn't have recorded the whole thing, though he kept an eye out for Ivan's first words, always wondering what they would be and if he could register them.


	6. First Words

_Não há um som mais doce do que as primeiras palavras de uma criança. - A autora._

* * *

_Arthur was in an extensive field of roses. He didn't remember getting there, only that he **was just there** , surrounded by a sea of multicolored roses in the middle of a field as far as the eye could see, a gentle breeze caressing him. There, Arthur felt peace and didn't even bother to find out how he got there._

_Walking across the countryside without a destination in mind, the British nation smiled to himself, occasionally stroking a rose, until he heard, a little in the distance, a small laugh. Something about that sound was incredibly familiar to him, although he couldn't remember why._

_The laughter was repeated again and in the blink of an eye, as if it were always there, Arthur saw Russia. The frozen nation was in its adult form, wearing its long coat and scarf, kneeling on the ground in front of a sunflower and touching the petals with affection. And just as the larger nation had appeared, sunflowers of different sizes were appearing here and there among the roses, not replacing them, but joining them, as if they were always there._

_Russia laughed and Arthur recognized the sound he had heard earlier; it was that childish but dangerous giggle that the Russian always emitted when he was in one of his strange moods._

_\- Russia?! What are you doing here? – Arthur asked, even without knowing where it was “here”. Russia did not respond, standing up after five seconds immobilized before getting up._

_\- Why are you calling me that, brother? It's Ivan! – Russia spoke, shocking the Englishman who stepped back a step when the Russian hovered over him, making his heart race in a typical fight or flight response._

_\- What are you talking about, wanker?! Who are you calling brother?! We are nothing!_

_\- Why are you being bad, brother? This is not cool. - Russia made a sad expression, looking well dejected before grabbing his heart over the clothes, his legs trembling before giving way, causing Russia to collapse on his knees. - It hurts…_

_\- Russia?! - Despite his fear, a painful feeling propelled him towards the bigger nation, but when he tried to move, he found himself hindered by the ground, which was sucking it slowly, as if it were tar, preventing his feet from rising and pulling him down. the lower and lower._

_\- It hurts ... Brother. Arthur…! - Russia called him, so pitiful that it really hurt Arthur's heart._

_\- Russia. Russia… Ivan!_

With a startle, Arthur stood up, looking at the ceiling of his room with his heart pounding. The sleep fog had dispersed in such a way that he felt confused, not knowing what was real, what was a dream, so it took him a few minutes to realize that someone was crying in his room.

\- Ivan!

Throwing the covers aside Arthur looked at the crib, but what he saw was not what he expected. Instead of a baby, who was in front of his eyes was a child, still tiny, but certainly a little bigger than Ivan was when he went to sleep that night.

A child who was huddled in the cradle tangled in his blankets and trying to get to Arthur, as tears streamed down his chubby face.

\- Ivan? Calm down, darling, what's up?! - Arthur asked with concern for the little Russian, deciding to leave aside the fact that Ivan was bigger and taking him in his arms, feeling his heart flutter when the limp body made a wailing sound. – Ah, you have a fever ...

Ivan whimpered and buried his face in the neck of the concerned nation. His little face was slightly red and he was burning with a low fever, but just as worrying and stumbling up Arthur ran to the kitchen, where he had left the potion he had made to help the small nation in its suffering.

He grunted when Ivan struggled to swallow the medicine, his small hands gripping Arthur's pajamas as if he were his lifeline, sobbing so much that his whole body was shaking and it caused him more discomfort.

\- Come on, Ivan, swallow your medicine, please! It will get better soon, I promise...

-… hut… - Ivan murmured, making Arthur stop. – It huts… uuthhut…

With a tormented heart, Arthur held Ivan tightly as he rubbed his head against his chest, feeling his eyes water. Ivan's first words and they expressed pain ... The feeling in his chest was not something Arthur could explain, but it burned and not in a good way.

\- No, Ivan, do not cry... It will be okay, okay? It'll be okay, just take your medicine, love.

\- Ow, ow, ow. It huts… - Ivan sobbed.

The old empire whispered security guards who were more to himself than to Ivan, managing to make him swallow some of the medicine, finally, but that didn't seem to help him, as the little child continued to cry and Arthur resigned himself to spending hours trying to chase away your pain with little success.

His concerns increased when the little russian refused to eat his food in the morning and at lunch, whimpering and moaning all the time, indicating to Arthur that the case was more serious than he expected and his frustration increased even more when he realized that his potion it wouldn't work. At least, not in the way it was supposed to and was working before, and only the knowledge that it would scare the child prevented Arthur from firing a flood of swear words and throwing the bottle against the wall.

That rainy afternoon, while Ivan slept (finally) with the potion partially taking his pain away, Arthur, sitting on the bed next to the little boy, hunched over his notebook and reading stories and more news stories about Russia, frustrated by not finding any recent news.

Taking a look at the child who slept in the middle of his bed, fiercely grabbing one of the pillows, Arthur left the room with his cell phone in his hands, quickly dialing a number that was rarely used.

\- Hello, it is me, Kirkland! Listen, I have a task for you and when I say that I have a task for you it means that you will report directly to me, understand? - Arthur warned in an authoritative voice, remaining silent for a few moments while the other voice answered. - Well, I want information about Russia. Everything you can; financial situation, the opinion of the people, government ... Everything you can and that is current! You have two days!

There was clearly some kind of protest on the other side, because Arthur's expression became more discontented, his eyes shining with a darker shadow for a second before disappearing.

\- I do not care! I am not asking you to give me detailed accounts, just a general uprising; I want to know what the economic situation in Russia is like; it should not be difficult for you, can it? - A brief moment of silence on his part while the other side answered and Arthur smiled with satisfaction. – Good. I will be waiting for information.

Hanging up the phone Arthur decided, just in case, to look for another potion that might be useful to him, taking a quick look at Ivan before going down to the basement, picking up a pile of books in different languages before returning to his room, not wanting to leave Ivan out of his sight.

He took a moment to assimilate the differences in what was now a small child of perhaps a year and a half, no more. He must have been only two inches larger than he was before, his body still chubby, but whose arms and legs looked firmer than before. And Ivan had spoken, indicating his mental development.

Luckily Ivan's clothes still fit him, albeit a little too tight, and Arthur figured they would fit for a little while longer. He could have enjoyed the change more and what it meant to both of them, if his concern was not to find out why the potion was not working as before.

Was it because Ivan grew up, if only a little? He did not know what kind of spell had been used on Ivan and much less did he know Russian magic, but he still tried. He spent the whole day researching, holding Ivan against his chest when the little boy woke up with a whimper, the sound of the rain falling mercilessly outside, helping to rock the baby in a restless sleep, but he did not achieve anything new, only assumptions that left him frustrated and tired.

A sick Russia was a sleepy and surly England, if only inside his exhausted head.

Two days later, still with the rains falling outside, a confidential report arrived at Arthur's computer, detailing in five sheets everything that the agent managed to collect in a short time. Frankly, Arthur was surprised by the quantity, expecting less, but he was satisfied with the demonstration of the ability of those who worked for him.

His satisfaction only lasted until he read the contents of the file, which was not unlike the news, but it bothered him just as much. The Russian economy was not doing well and Arthur realized there that, no matter what he did to help the small nation's pain go through, it would constantly suffer.

Pieces of his dream from days ago invaded his mind, watching Russia cling to his chest as he complained of pain, his expression twisted in a painful way that seemed to echo in the island nation itself, as if he could feel, even vaguely, a little of the suffering of the Russian.

This made him wonder how long Russia had been hiding his health. It was a long time ago, he concluded, given that Russia had been "hostile" with the rest of Europe for some years and even if there was no reason, guilt struck him. It was obvious that the great nation was in bad shape, but he knew how to hide his problems through the childish and dangerous facade, but now, as a child, he did not know how to use this facade to hide his pain.

Being a nation was not easy; you were not your own master, but a servant of your people, in a way, and you suffered along with them, sometimes even more and could barely interfere with your bosses' decisions when they hit the hammer.

Arthur bit his lower lip in frustration, looking at Ivan in anguish as he thought about what to do. Deep down, he had the answer to that, but he didn't know if he should go ahead with it. It would be problematic and it would certainly give him more headaches than he needed, but Russia - Ivan - did not deserve to suffer like that and the island nation could not shake the feeling of what was right to do.

Closing the notebook and lying on the bed next to Ivan, careful not to wake him, Arthur held the baby gently, feeling the muscles more firm and caressing his face in the hope of removing that expression of discomfort, hoping that what he would do wouldn't come back to bite you in the ass.

_My little sweet darling, my comfort and joy,_

_(Sing lullaby, lulla!)_

_In beauty surpassing the princes of Troy,_

_(Sing lullaby, lulla!)_

_Now suck, child, and sleep, child, thy mother's sweet boy,_

_(Sing lullaby, lulla!)_

_The gods bless and keep thee from cruel annoy._

_(Sing lullaby, lulla!) Sweet baby, lulla, lulla, lulla, lulla!_

With an awkward mind, Arthur took a few seconds to pay attention to the sweet and clearly feminine voice that sang an old lullaby, bringing him to a sweet state of sleep. Grumbling under his breath, Arthur squirmed on the bed and reached out to stroke Ivan, only to discover an empty space.

This immediately woke him up, adrenaline pumping through his heart and making him jump up, not seeing Ivan anywhere in his room. His eyes darted to the window, seeing a golden glow coming from the garden and as he peered through it he saw fairies. Not exactly fairies, but the glow they sometimes emitted, bathing the beautiful garden in a wonderful golden glow, their sweet and soft voices echoing in the air along with the ethereal, sweet and gentle, emitting the tinkling of bells here and there and the face Arthur's face paled.

That voice could only come from a single person - no, a single being that England knew and if Ivan wasn't there it could only mean one thing.

Without stopping to think, Arthur went downstairs with his heart pounding, hoping very badly that nothing bad had happened. Once on the ground floor he calmed his steps and tried to calm his heartbeat by walking to the door leading to the garden.

The sight that greeted him was even more beautiful from there than from his bedroom window; its immense garden was lit by lights from thousands of fireflies and fairy wings that floated gently through the air, the voices of the little creatures creating mysterious whispers, but the source of the sweet voice was sitting there, in the rocking chair where Arthur always stood. sat to admire the garden.

The woman - who was clearly not human - wore a dress that appeared to be made of a piece of night, black and decorated with stars that stood out against the white skin; his long hair could very well have been copper or liquid metal, due to its fluidity, decorated with a vine crown, branches curling around some locks and surrounded by an aura of pure magic and in his arms was Ivan, sleeping peacefully .

Long, thin fingers caressed the pale skin of pink cheeks with a certain tenderness, his eyes, two black spheres dotted with stars, stared at the garden with adoration at the sight of the multicolored roses that attract butterflies and wild animals that should be sleeping at that time, but that went to pay their respects to her. As soon as their voice fell silent, the fairies also fell silent, although they were still present.

\- Your rose garden is still beautiful, Arthur. Seeing you always makes me happy, especially because I know you do it for my servants! - The ethereal voice spoke with an enigmatic smile, the smell of wet earth and flowers in the garden making her breathe deeply with contentment.

\- Queen ... Titania ... - Arthur fumbled, not knowing what to do in front of the powerful entity that was holding his child, deciding to bow. Titânia laughed, touching her lips gently before looking at the nation, her eyes a mysterious dark blue that seemed to carry the night holding him in place.

\- Now, Arthur, there is no need for formalities.

\- I apologize, my lady, your presence is ... unexpected. But very welcome, of course!

Titânia laughed, amused by Arthur's attitude. How many times have they not met before? And as Arthur was a nation in his view, it was Titania who should bow to him, but the opposite was the case, something the Queen was very pleased with.

\- I see you have something to keep you busy, Arthur. - Said the fairy, once again gently touching Ivan's cheeks, whose eyes opened slightly, purple spheres watching her with some interest before they closed again.

\- Ah, yes, that ... This is Russia, or Ivan. He had some magical incident and I am stuck with him. – Arthur replied with a resigned sigh, trying not to be rude and order her to hand it back.

Fairies were known to kidnap children, after all and even if that was Titania, one of the queens of the fairies, he was still anxious to leave Ivan with her, but he had to restrain himself, so as not to incur his anger Nation or not, there was no way he disrespects the powerful queen. Lost in his fear, Arthur let out a strangled squeak and jumped back when Titania suddenly appeared before him.

\- You have a beautiful treasure with you, Arthur, dear, but the poor guy is in so much pain... You are taking good care of him right? – With a gentle touch of her fingers Titânia removed the pain of Ivan, who calmer, looked at her with curiosity, extending his hands to her hair and laughing a little with the texture, making the queen laugh and caress her forehead.

The baby's eyes then started to close, a powerful sleep taking him and he started to yawn, his little hands opening and closing.

\- He's such a beautiful child, Arthur; I would love to have him for me!

\- Majesty... - Arthur tensed, his hands itching to get Ivan out of her.

\- Don't worry, just kidding. – Titânia laughed, returning Ivan to Arthur, who was immensely relieved and hugged him carefully, feeling the weight and fragile heat against his chest. The gesture didn’t go unnoticed by the fairy, who smiled with satisfaction. - My fairies said he was the victim of a curse.

\- Yes; could you do something about it? I did not expect them to call you soon, my lady, but I will be immensely happy if I can do something!

\- Oh, but he's so cute ... Why not raise him? It will only take a few years for him to reach adulthood!

\- I cannot take care of him for so long! His boss must be worried by now and we could end up getting involved in a diplomatic incident, or worse! – Arthur argued, a little desperate.

\- Then just leave him with the sisters. Or just hand it over to his government; it should be easy for you. It doesn't have to be your responsibility, Arthur, nor do you have any connection with him!

\- I already thought about it! – Arthur snarled, until he realized who he was talking to and calmed down. – I already thought about it. But I can't just hand over a baby like that to someone and not worry, even if it's for your sisters! Ukraine and Russia have a lot of conflicts and Belarus is crazy about him! In addition, his government is known to be brutal; even if it's not like that anymore, I... I cannot...

Silence fell on them. Although he knew it was not his responsibility, as a gentleman and, most importantly, as someone who had looked after countless nations before, Arthur could not simply throw the child to another and ignore his fate. Russia appeared on his sofa, so in a way it was as if he had been given this responsibility and abandoning it wouldn’t be right.

Seeing the conflict of the island nation, the fairy queen smiled, pleased to know that Arthur would not simply leave the small nation alone. It would have been problematic if he did that.

\- You’re lucky that I like you, Arthur; I don't do this for everyone.

\- So you go…

\- Yes, but... - Titânia has already interrupted the rain of thanks from the blonde. - I will need some time to study this spell and create a countermeasure, since it is completely different from my magic. It will take a few months, I fear!

Arthur didn't like it very much; he, despite having taken care of many young nations in the past, never took care of a baby, baby really.

\- Is not there anything more immediate, really?

\- There is nothing I need to do that the spell did not do by itself! He is weak, unstable; Russia will grow little by little and in months or years, perhaps, it will reach its present adulthood, but it is not the most ideal, I fear! - Titania replied. – He’s now a baby, with no memories of who he was, what he has already done or who he has known; it's a blank sheet, ready to write a new story for you! It will be as if the Russia you knew never existed before! - When Arthur said nothing, the queen continued. - This is not a bad choice; think of the advantages that this will bring you as a country and as a person! Maybe that one won't abandon you!

Arthur swallowed and felt tears welling up in his eyes, but he quickly wiped away the tears, not wanting to be ashamed before the sovereign.

\- Yes, it would be good... But then I would take something precious not only from Russia, but from your sisters and maybe even your people! I would be being a colonizer again, not a caregiver! I... I prefer the countermeasure spell, if you can, my queen!

\- Of course, dear. - Titania laughed. - And there is no reason to thank me, dear Arthur, just take good care of this child and above all, love him!

\- Madam…?

\- This poor child lacks love and warmth, but has created so many disaffections throughout his life and has never been cared for as he should have been that it would have been impossible otherwise; he has that opportunity now, so be patient and kind. You created other nations. I know you'll know what to do!

\- Really? None of my former colonies seem to have any love for me, so I do not think I raised them well. – Arthur scoffed sadly, feeling a twinge in his heart. He was surprised by Titania's touch on his chin, the delicate finger forcing him to meet his eyes.

\- Oh, Arthur, if you only knew ... – Moving away from him Titânia looked at Ivan and a gentle smile adorned his face. – Things happen because they have to happen and they are not always as expected, but good things can come from it! You have received a gift, something that can only be given through a child; you will learn to see this as a blessing in the future!

Arthur wasn't sure about that, but he didn't argue with the queen, looking at Ivan and wondering if that could be true. How could he who was known for his carnage, cruelty and perversion bring anything good for him? But on second thought, all nations were born pure and Ivan was the sweetest thing he had ever seen in his long life.

\- I will come to visit you in the future, Arthur. Until then…

Looking at the two nations with a deep and gentle look, together with a mysterious smile that seemed to be typical of her, Titânia moved away, disappearing among the trees and with her the whispers and fairies, as well as the mystical lights and fireflies. , the garden becoming silent and dark again, fading into the forest until nothing else could be seen or heard.

Arthur still watched the spot where the fairy queen disappeared, but when Ivan protested against the cold he had no choice but to enter.

* * *

\- I am sorry for disturbing you, my queen; we didn't want to cause any inconvenience to you! – The jovial-looking gnome bowed to the sovereign while walking beside her, already far from the ears of the island nation.

\- In fact, I really should punish them for playing with magic like that. You could have regressed it to the point of non-existence and then we would have a big problem in the world! I should punish you for this recklessness, maybe a few more centuries in the human world would be a fair punishment don't you think, Ailujhy? – Titania spoke calm and smiling, even though the threat was visible in her face and tone of voice.

\- II'm sorry, my queen!

\- Well, but at least that will be good for those two! – Titania sighed, her smile getting lighter. – At least Arthur will be able to enjoy family happiness this time and maybe this time he will have better luck.

\- That's what we want, my queen. Arthur deserves, after all these centuries, as well as Russia. But are you sure about the spell? Break it ...

\- That will be a good test for them. If both of them overcome the “tragedy”, I am sure that the bond they will share will be strong.

Titania's smile was decidedly diabolical, making the poor gnome shudder and say a silent prayer for Arthur for the queen's antics, who walked away through the trees, leaving behind a soft song and a trail of magic and light that disappeared along with she.


	7. For the Sake of Russia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, I'm back! First of all, Hetalia does not belong to me and English is not my mother tongue, so mistakes can exist. Second, our adorable Ivan is learning to speak, so pronunciation errors are expected. I tried to do this as best as possible, but it's been years since I had contact with a baby, so it may not be quite as soon as babies talk.

_A vida é antes e depois (deles). O foco sai de você. Você nunca mais bate a porta e vai. Tenho medo do momento de voltar a ser só eu" - Débora Bloch_

* * *

It's not Russia here, but is an adorable baby (and I didn't find another image)

* * *

Arthur tried to convince himself that he was doing the right thing, that it was in Ivan's best health, but standing there, in front of his minister and queen in one of the parliament rooms, the Englishman began to reconsider whether he had indeed been it was a good idea to show Ivan to them, especially with the look the prime minister was giving the Russian who seemed well aware of the looks, trying to get into Arthur's clothes with protesting whimpers.

\- So, you are telling me that this... Baby... Is Russia?! - The British Prime Minister asked, clearly suspicious, something that Arthur could understand, even when an unexplained spark of irritation welled up in his chest. – Could you explain to me - again - how it happened?

\- Well, see, sir... I... That was... - Arthur struggled with the words, not meeting the old man's gaze, not knowing what to say. The explanation that it had been a magical accident would not suit him, true or not, and even if he had thought of other possibilities, Arthur was nervous. – It seems that, with the current situation in Russia, Ivan has gone through certain... changes.

\- Changes?!

\- Yes…

\- And you are telling me then that countries can go back in age because of certain... Changes?! Why are we only now aware of this?! – The prime minister crossed his arms, clearly not believing, but before Arthur could curl up in his explanation, the queen spoke up.

\- Let me see him, Arthur.

\- My lady?! - The two men turned to her in surprise.

\- I want to catch him; can I?

Although somewhat reluctant, Arthur passed Ivan to the queen, having to calm him down when Ivan refused to let go, extending his hands with watery eyes for Arthur to take him back. The only thing that Arthur hoped was that Ivan would not end up hitting the queen and killing the old lady and causing a major rift between his countries; he could take Ivan's blows, but not a human.

\- Athui, Athui, no, no! – Ivan whimpered with a little fear in his expression and England had to restrain himself from snatching his queen's boy.

\- Well, look that, he is cute... I can see why you got attached to him, Arthur. – The queen smiled, leaving Arthur flushed in embarrassment. Smiling, the queen stroked Ivan's chin, gaining his attention and she was delighted with Ivan's eyes, which shone due to the falling tears.

\- My lady, be careful... - The Prime Minister stirred. – He is a nation, he can hurt you!

\- Nonsense; he is just a baby! A very adorable baby! I do not know how it happened, Arthur, but you did well!

\- My lady?! - The two men look at her, surprised and with different degrees of shock.

\- This is a good opportunity to have control over the Russian government, something that half the world has always wanted at some point and why not us? Besides, I may be old, but not senile, gentlemen, and I know how our political situation is going; having Russia on our side can be economically advantageous for us and elevate us as a power!

\- But that would mean... The sanctions... America... – The prime minister tried to argue, something the queen dismissed with an elegant hand gesture, stroking the hair of Ivan who smiled at her already feeling calmer, a feeling of familiarity with that lady, pushing away his tears.

\- I am well aware of America's position on Russia; so we will not tell about the little one here, at least not until we have secured our political dominance over the country! I am sure that our prime minister will be happy to bring the good news to the head of Russia; he must be concerned about the disappearance of his personification, right?

Arthur wanted to protest, finding the task too Herculean, but stopped with a sharp look from the former sovereign, who quickly cooed over Ivan, already completely laughing. His prime minister did not look happy either, but he wisely fell silent, seeing a little truth in his sovereign's words. Still, with so many countries in the world, why should be Russia?

* * *

Arthur left through a secret exit, not wanting to attract anyone's attention, getting into his car parked among some trees and placing Ivan in his car seat, staring at him for a while before sighing.

\- Well, that was better than I imagined! – He concluded with a small sigh, looking at Ivan with a little frown before laughing. – It is good that you know all the problem that I have to go through you, do you hear, little boy? You would not make all that sacrifice if you did otherwise, would you?

\- Dadahhbuh! – Ivan replied, smiling and Arthur could not be angry with him.

\- Yes, yes, I sure would. – Arthur grunted with good humor, starting the car.

\- Athui? – Ivan called to him, tilting his head with big confused eyes, making Arthur remember that that Ivan before him was no longer the little baby who did not understand his words. The Briton was exempt from responding when Ivan's stomach rumbled, making the Russian moan. – It hurts… Athui, it hurts!

\- This is not a pain, Ivan, it is hunger! – Arthur explained with an amused laugh. – I think we should go home, huh?

\- Does it hurt? – Ivan insisted when his stomach rumbled again.

\- No, no, no pain. Ah, damn; we have to go to the market; we're running out of food!

\- Deamnmm! – Ivan laughed and Arthur was shocked, having forgotten that Ivan was already learning to speak and at a fast speed, by the way.

\- Hey, wait, don't repeat that!

\- Deamnm!

\- I told you not to repeat that, Ivan!

Ivan laughed at his guardian's agitation and although dissatisfied and berating himself for the inappropriate use of language, if Ivan laughed it was because he was better and this calmed the Brit's concerns a little.

\- Ivan, behave yourself or you will have to wait longer to eat! – Arthur warned and although he was not sure if the child understood or not, Ivan at least knew he was being scolded and with a sad expression he was quiet.

Deciding only to buy the amount needed for two or three days, Arthur stopped by a small market, holding Ivan to his chest with the kangaroo and picking up a basket at the entrance to the market, which luckily was half empty.

Ivan seemed very amazed by the market, looking around curiously and at once while drawing Arthur's attention to something that amused him. As they passed one of the shelves, his eyes caught sight of one of the products and he got excited, hitting Arthur hard on the sternum, which he choked on hard.

\- Athui. Athui! ‘Od. 'Od! – Ivan asked, pointing to one of the boxes and trying to get it.

Taking a deep breath and coughing, it took Arthur a few moments to recover and see what had caused such a reaction.

\- Ivan, what... – Arthur grunted between coughs, looking in the direction the baby was pointing. It was a box of honey loaves stuffed with strawberry jam and when she picked up the box, she was immediately grabbed by Ivan, who seemed fascinated by the design of the box. the Englishman remembered that gingerbread was one of the most common sweets in Russia and he wondered, somewhat astonished, if the little baby remembered something from his country or if it was an instinctive reaction.

Maybe it was a little bit of both, he concluded when nothing else seemed to get Ivan's attention, who was clutching the box of gingerbread and drooling over it happily, oblivious to everything else.

The rest of the shopping went smoothly and when passing by the cashier Arthur was once again praised for the handsome son he had, which led the Brit to explain that no, that was not his son, but his brother and honestly, they they didn't even look alike, why did they think they were his son? Although the same could be said about being brothers.

The way back was smooth and soon the two nations found themselves once again in front of the Briton's home. Picking up the various bags and Ivan right after, who clung to the gingerbread box fiercely, drooling over and chewing on the cardboard, Arthur opened the door with his foot, grumbling as he knocked the bags on the doorframe, unable to see with Ivan on his face and that damn box. That is why he did not see that he was not alone at home, and he was terrified when he heard a familiar voice.

\- England?!

Arthur felt his skin prickle and he jumped back, dropping the bags and holding Ivan, quickly pulling him out of his face and seeing a small young man with dark blond hair curled up beside his ears and who had a look confused in his adorable face, sitting on one of the chairs with a book in his hands.

\- Ni-Nikau ?! O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o… What are you doing here?!

\- Well, I came to visit you ... As you weren't and I didn't want to miss the trip, I decided to wait... But I was surprised; your house is all different, full of toys and baby objects… - Nikau, also known as the personification of New Zealand smiled. - But now I understand why. Who is he?

\- A-a-a-ah, look... He... I...

\- Um, he looks familiar... - Nikau, the personification of New Zealand commented, putting the book aside and approaching the two nations. Arthur quickly hid Ivan, not knowing how the other nation would react when he found out.

\- Nikau...

\- He looks like Russia... But he's so cute! What happened, England?

Sighing, Arthur let Nikau catch a better glimpse of the baby, who clung firmly to Ivan, staring at the stranger with curious eyes, but not at all willing to leave his guardian, especially when he realized that he seemed uncomfortable with the stranger's presence.

\- Let is have tea, Nikau and I will explain to you... - Arthur sighed, leading the New Zealand nation to the kitchen.

* * *

\- And that was what happened. – Arthur finished the explanation, looking at the youngest personification with careful eyes in search of any unfavorable reaction, but much to his surprise, he was received by one of the typical New Zealanders' calm smiles.

\- So Russia was turned into a baby, huh? Who knew… - Nikau laughed, watching the little Russian who was watching him with intelligent and curious eyes, holding Arthur firmly. – He’s so cute! May I pick him up?

Arthur looked at Ivan uncertainly, but knowing that Nikau would not try to harm him, he relented. The problem would be getting Ivan to leave him.

\- See, Ivan, Nikau wants to hold you; do you want to go with him? – Arthur whispered to the Russian, who groaned in protest when the British tried to push him away, holding his shirt in a death grip. – Come on, Ivan, be a good boy, will you?

\- Nieh... Nieh! – Ivan whimpered, holding Arthur's shirt tightly.

\- Does he know how to talk?! How cute! - The New Zealander cooed, laughing to himself.

\- Ah, yes, Ivan is growing up fast, but he started talking a short time ago and I think he is a bit shy with strangers. – Arthur smiled proudly in the first half of the sentence, something that Nikau did not fail to notice. He watched Arthur calm the baby enough for Ivan to look at the stranger and Nikau swore there was a sharp intelligence in those lavender eyes that most babies didn't have, until finally Ivan gave in, letting Arthur pass it on to Nikau.

Ivan seemed uncomfortable at first, moaning and looking at Arthur, but when Nikau started to play with him, poking his belly, Ivan seemed to calm down and soon he was laughing at the expressions of the nation that held him.

Arthur was happy that New Zealand reacted well to Russia, but now that he thought about it, he knew he shouldn't have worried. Of all the nations to discover his secret, Nikau was the most peaceful of all and although he did not know much about his relations with Russia, the New Zealander rarely got angry or acted violently. This relieved the British, as it meant that at least one other country would be more favorable to him on this issue.

\- He is so handsome ... It’s nothing like what I heard about him!

\- Well, Ivan is a baby now, so of course it would be different... – Arthur snorted with a smile that made Nikau laugh.

\- And how are you, England?

\- Me? Arthur blinked, not expecting the question. – Well... It's not easy to take care of him, you know? When I took care of you and the other nations, you were already bigger, but I also believe that it is not much different… Ivan, surprisingly, does not give much work, despite having torn the screen of his playpen three times this month and living in an accident now that he's walking, which makes me very worried... But he is also a nation and is stronger and more resilient, so maybe I shouldn't be so worried, but...

Arthur suddenly stopped and blushed when he realized he was rambling, the blush on his face growing when Nikau laughed. This attracted the attention of Ivan, who looked at his guardian and seemed to feel his troubled emotions tried to reach him, shaking his legs and hitting New Zealand with a little force.

Neither of the two nations protested the exchange and Ivan seemed very pleased in Arthur's arms, holding his hair and putting a few strands in his mouth, laughing.

\- Come on, Ivan, stop it! – Arthur scolded, trying to get Ivan out of his hair.

\- Nieh… Athui, beauty. – Ivan laughed, making the Englishman's face redden with the compliment and he started to stutter, embarrassed and happy.

\- You look happier, Arthur. – Nikau commented, taking Arthur by surprise, especially with the relieved smile he saw on the other's face. – What is good; you know, sometimes i'm worried about knowing that you are here alone!

\- Hey, I am not an old man who needs a babysitter! – Arthur protested energetically, a little disturbed by Nikau's unchanging smile.

\- I know, but still... You seem lonely at times and I worry... So I'm happy to know that you have Ivan now! Even though you are Russia, you seem to be getting along very well.

Arthur didn't know how to respond, but perhaps New Zealand was right. He hadn't cared about his loneliness in the past two months since Ivan arrived, the responsibility of looking after a child taking up all of his time, sometimes too much. Still, despite his exhaustion, Arthur couldn't contain his small smile as he watched Ivan grab his finger, even when the little one squeezed and pulled with a little more force.

\- Well, I think so...

\- What are you going to do now? – Nikau asked, looking at Arthur who looked at him with confusion for a moment before understanding what he meant. Still, Nikau felt the need to explain. – Now that you are taking care of Russia it means that the political relations between you have changed, doesn't it?

\- Yes. I will not deny that. – Arthur replied after a few moments of silence. – I have other reasons besides politics, but in general, I cannot leave our relationships as they are when my interaction with Ivan changed; it wouldn't be... Right, I think.

\- America will not be happy at all.

\- America doesn't have to be happy! – Arthur replied with a little violence, apologizing quickly when he realized he had raised his voice. – He made it clear when he gained his independence that I had nothing to do with his affairs, so he also has nothing to do with mine! If I want to help Russia I will!

\- Aren't you afraid of what America might do? He has been testing nuclear missiles again in the last few months… - Nikau pointed with a frown and Arthur grunted with a grimace.

\- America may be a superpower, but I doubt it will make much of a splash if it is me. However, I know that Alfred will not be happy at all. - Arthur sighed, already imagining the reaction of his former colony. – But I know how to deal with him, Nikau, so do not worry.

\- Um, I see... Well, I wish you luck, England.

\- You do not mind that? With Russia being a baby, with me taking care of him... This whole situation? – Arthur asked, clearly worried, unconsciously holding Ivan closer to him, something that New Zealand did not fail to notice.

\- I have nothing against Russia; I rarely spoke to him, so it is not as if I could form my own opinion; and it doesn't matter now, does it? This is no longer scary Russia and he clearly has an attachment to you; I don't think you would do so much for him if it wasn't worth it.

Arthur was relieved to hear the other nation say that, but again, it was an attitude he should have expected from New Zealand, always calm and rational.

\- I can't wait to see the reaction of other countries when they see it ... I hope I'm there for that! - Nikau laughed a little maliciously, causing Arthur to sweat and look away randomly around the house around him, a little embarrassed.

\- Yes, about that; I am glad you take the situation so well, Nikau. – Arthur spoke with evident relief, confusing the New Zealander, who waited for the sentence to continue. – I will not be revealing Ivan for now; not until he grows bigger, at least. What makes me ask you a favor... At the next meeting... Can you babysit?

…

…

…

\- Eh ?!

\- Please! - Arthur pleaded, almost throwing himself at the feet of the other nation. - I cannot take him with me, but I also cannot leave him alone and I can't leave him with anyone ... I beg you!

\- II don't know how to take care of children, England! I-and-I...

\- Please! - Arthur grabbed Nikau tightly by the shoulder, facing the nation with intensity and without understanding what was happening, Ivan laughed and faced Nikau with big innocent eyes.

\- Pos'alu’sta - pu favô (pozhaluysta - please)! - Ivan imitated, waving a hand in the direction of New Zealand.

\- O-ok. OK! I'll! Now, stop it, both of you! - Nikau asked, overwhelmed mainly by the adorable Russian who laughed.

\- Thank you, New Zealand. You saved me. - Arthur thanked him sincerely and although uncertain, Nikau did not protest much. Ivan appeared to be well-behaved; how difficult would it be to care of a baby Russia?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 306/5000  
> I researched New Zealanders names, since this character still doesn't have an official name (until I write this story) and I found this character ideal to help Arthur, due to his kind personality. Nikau, from what I have discovered, is a very common name in New Zealand and the most beautiful one I have found.


	8. New Zealand, the Nanny

_Quem inventou a frase: Essa noite eu dormi feito um bebê; definitivamente nunca teve um bebê! - Desconhecido._

* * *

Arthur looked at the baby whimpering over his chest with a restless sigh, wishing he could sleep a little more, even though, to his despair, the day was already dawning and Ivan looked very uncomfortable. Against all her wishes, the island had no alternative but to start her day at work, an irritatingly familiar routine.

The first thing Arthur did was give Ivan some of the potion, making a face when he saw how little there was and that Ivan continued to make faces of pain. A good hot bath helped to calm the little one, who splashed water everywhere, laughing and soaking the whole bathroom. Arthur was happy to see Ivan well, but it was tiring having to dry the bathroom afterwards.

\- Okay, Ivan, food time. - Arthur warned when leaving the bathroom, loosening his sleeves and wrapped in his scarf Ivan made gestures for Arthur to pick him up.

\- ‘Od. 'Od!

\- Yes, yes, food! - Arthur laughed, making a gesture of eating with his hands, easily taking Ivan in his lap. He noticed that the Russian looked fatter and was pleased to know that his fevers didn’t stop his appetite.

Preparing a quick breakfast for them, Arthur was setting the table when he heard three knocking on the door and gesturing for Ivan to wait, he ran to attend his visit, smiling when he saw Nikau.

\- I brought paninis! - He was soon warning, lifting a wicker basket covered with a cloth that little disguised the delicious smell.

\- Why did you bother? I can make our breakfast! It is not right for a visit to serve your host! - Arthur grunted, letting the New Zealander in.

\- There is no problem. You have not visited me in a while, and I thought you should bring something from my home. - Nikau justified with a nervous smile. The truth was, he didn't want to eat Arthur's food. Not if she was the same as always - which he knew she was.

When they entered the kitchen, Ivan looked curiously at the newcomer, shrinking a little in shyness and gesturing for Arthur to take him, whimpering a little to get his wish fulfilled.

\- Ivan, this is Nikau. Nikau, Ivan.

Ivan stammered in response, looking at the newcomer with some trepidation and struggling to stay on Arthur's lap when the Brit tried to approach him from his former colony.

\- How cute! He's so adorable ... - Nikau cooed, caressing Ivan's chin.

For a moment Arthur feared that the baby would start to cry, but to the surprise of the two adult nations, Ivan grabbed one of the New Zealanders' eyebrows and laughed, babbling happily.

\- Not a comment! - The island nation narrowed its eyes at the young nation when he noticed the air of laughter on his face and Nikau quickly swallowed his laughter, disguising it with a cough that did not fool Arthur not even a little.

\- We are eating breakfast; come and sit with us.

The New Zealander watched Arthur teach Ivan the right way to hold the spoon and eat and the fact that Russia ate the Englishman's food quietly was astonishing to Nikau, but he figured it was easier for a child to accept his cooking when he had no idea of flavor.

After a quick breakfast they went to the living room, which had clearly become Russian territory, due to the amount of toys and books scattered on the sofas and carpet. Now that Ivan was walking, Arthur had placed guards in every possible place.

\- I never imagined that a cleaning fan like you would let your room look like this. - Nikau commented with a small smile that increased when Arthur snorted, pasting Ivan on the carpet.

\- Ivan is usually very quiet; as long as there is someone in his field of vision he will not be a problem! He may be shy, but I think he liked you... Try to play a little while I wash the kitchen! Ivan likes to read, too. Especially about flowers!

Nodding, Nikau knelt before Ivan, the baby's eyes following Arthur and once he realized that Arthur would not be gone, he relaxed and looked at the familiar stranger, blinking his big black eyes before smiling.

\- Hi, Russia. I'm New Zealand, but you can call me Nikau!

\- Ni-Ni! – Ivan stammered, smiling at the New Zealander, who couldn't help cooing at how cute he was and squeezing his chubby cheeks.

From the kitchen Arthur watched the two young (compared to him) nations interact and was relieved. Nikau was very patient and very easy to interact with, so he shouldn't be surprised that they are both having fun together.

The two nations played for hours on the carpet until tiredness arrived and Ivan started to yawn, whimpering for Arthur. Sitting in his armchair with his notebook on his lap, the island nation quickly picked him up and cradled him, the Russian fast asleep.

\- Thanks for coming today, Nikau. I promise I will reward you in the future! - Arthur thanked, accompanying the other blonde to the door.

\- Don’t worry; it was fun. He really is a pleasant child to deal with. I wonder if it has something to do with your caregiver… - Nikau teased his former metropolis, who blushed softly.

\- Shut up!

Laughing, Nikau walked away, promising to return that Friday, when Arthur would have to leave. Once alone, Arthur snorted and closed the door, returning to the room where Ivan slept in his car seat. The nostalgic sight (almost two and a half months) made him smile and he returned to his chair, the notebook once again in his lap as the sound of keys filled the air.

He was running out of time to prepare the necessary documents before the next world meeting that would take place a month and a week ago and there would be the issue of the environment and the sanctions against Russia to be addressed, the last issue being what interested him and what he knew would cause more uproar among other countries.

The mere thought of having to deal with these complicated issues tired him, but he continued to type, determined. He just hoped everything would be fine this Friday.

\- Okay, Ivan, I need you to hear me, okay? - Arthur caught the baby's attention, who looked at him curiously. – I have to leave, but Nikau will stay with you! Be a good boy to him and if you behave well I'll bring you something special, okay? It will only be for a while, dear. I need to resolve some issues and I cannot take you with me Will you behave yourself? - Arthur explained, but Ivan clung furiously to him when he realized that Arthur was leaving.

\- Nye. Athui! Nye!

\- England, are you sure this is a good idea? Maybe you should take him... - Nikau suggested, but Arthur vehemently refused.

\- No way! I will argue with Russian politicians and there is no way I want them to see him! Besides, Ivan needs to learn to be without me! And I won't be long. Just... Let me know if something happens; you have my number! Arthur looked at Nikau resolutely, but it was obvious that he was also reluctant to leave.

Despite his attempts, it took some time for Arthur to convince Ivan to let him go, looking at the blonde so pitifully that Arthur felt like the worst person in the world, looking at New Zealand with an apologetic look before entering his car and leave as soon as possible to avoid surrendering to the Russian's unhappy expression and taking him with him.

New Zealand waved the car away with Ivan in his arms and since Arthur was no longer visible, the smaller blond looked at the child in his arms and wondered what he was in for.

\- What do you think about playing, Russia? - He asked the boy, who did not answer, burying his face in his chest while whimpering. Sighing, the island nation entered the house, hoping to find something they could do to cheer the child up. - Don't worry, Russia, English-Arthur will come back!

The little Russian looked at him with watery eyes and Nikau repeated his guarantees, a little surprised when the baby seemed to understand and he was sniffing sadly. The small island nation had to remember that the baby himself was also a nation and thus, his understanding should be beyond that of a normal baby. Maybe.

Hoping to distract him, the New Zealander took him to the room where the playpen was with some of his toys, but nothing the older nation (physically) did seemed to cheer Russia, who seemed quite listless in a corner of the playpen, having wrapped in his scarf in a mess of limbs and cloth, but that seemed to please the child.

Nikau then looked for the instructions his ex-patria had left in a small notepad on the table, hoping to find something useful; Arthur had said that Ivan liked to eat; he was a little worried about serving any of the baby food in the fridge when he noticed that they were all bizarre in color, but a spoonful proved that it was actually very tasty.

\- NYEH! - A cry startled the New Zealander and he turned to the living room, seeing Russia very agitated in the playpen, not happy that Nikau was eating what was his.

\- Ah, I'm sorry, Russia, I didn't want to take what was yours. Can you forgive me? - Nikau begged, laughing internally with the baby's intense gaze before he demanded his food. – Here, I will prepare for you! – The blond ran to serve the baby food to the angry child, putting him in his car seat, but he was surprised when the boy refused to eat after the third spoon and even when the New Zealander tried to play with him, the Russian didn’t answer, returning to be sad.

\- You really like him, don't you? - Nikau observed with a withdrawal sigh, sitting next to the playpen. – He's lucky ... Although he still has someone to care for him, I think England feels very alone in this house.

\- Athui? - Ivan looked around, looking very close to crying when he didn't see his guardian and Nikau felt very sorry for him and picked him up.

\- What do you think about going out to the garden, huh? It's a beautiful sunny day! England said you like the sun; who knows it doesn't cheer you up?

Not waiting for an answer, Nikau took Ivan out into the garden, pleased to see the sky partly clear. Once in the sun Russia seemed to cheer up a little, much to the relief of the New Zealander who began to wander the Brit's Garden.

\- Ah, the flowers are still beautiful as always! - Nikau exclaimed, approaching a set of gardenias and sniffing them. A little fairy with transparent purple wings came out from behind the flower, looking at the two nations with curiosity and Ivan blinked his eyes, extending his hand to the fairy who quickly walked away. – Oh, you like it too, Russia? I knew you would like it! England is the best gardener I’ve ever met!

When he lived there, the garden of England was one of the favorite areas for him to play with his brothers because it was huge. The garden was divided into several beds cut by stone trails and composed of mostly native flowers and shrubs, although there were some foreign flowers and roses, many roses, arranged in order to harmonize with the other flowers.

There were a few wooden benches here and there, as well as small stone fountains, some of which were disused and covered with moss, even with a wooden gazebo in the center of the garden. The trails converged on a main trail that ended in a wrought iron gate that looked very old flanked by a small stone wall that shouldn't have been more than 1.5 cm and beyond these walls you could see a green labyrinth and beyond that labyrinth, the forest.

It was as beautiful as the front yard and in the New Zealander's opinion, the garden of England was more worthy of being in a palace than in a country house in London and Nikau always wondered how his former homeland managed a garden so great (the answer that the elves and fairies helped him was not something he considered an answer).

\- Walking through this garden really brings back good memories… Which flower do you like best, Russia? I really like the potuhukawa flower; it is great for medicine!

Ivan just looked at him for a moment before smiling, a huge smile with two small teeth in front that made New Zealand coo at him and pinch his chubby cheeks in awe.

Ivan protested, taking the older nation's hands away with a protest before turning his attention to another fairy, this time with wings in different shades of blue. The fairy flew directly to Nikau's head, laughing and ruffling his hair, making the older blond think it was the wind and Ivan made an effort to catch the fairy, hitting Nikau's face who just laughed at the child, pleased to see him you more cheerful.

A few petals of hydrangeas fell on Ivan's platinum hair, deposited by the fairies, and the view was so lovely that the New Zealander couldn't resist taking a picture and sending it to Arthur.

\- So cute… This is really amazing! I can hardly believe that you are the Russia that everyone fears. I would think you would be a scary baby, but you are so adorable! Let's see what flowers we can combine with your hair?

Russia blew into his hand, smiling and Nikau took that as a yes. He followed through the garden, talking about the flowers he knew and occasionally putting some petals on Ivan's hair, amazed at how beautiful the colors contrasted with his hair.

\- Here, Russia, see; is not it beautiful? - Nikau showed a butterfly flying among the flowers.

The baby followed the butterfly with its eyes, cringing slightly when the insect landed on its nose, making it sneeze. Mumbling Ivan struggled to get to the ground and the older nation lowered him, holding the Russian by the hand as he walked in unsteady steps, sometimes trying to pick up a plant or another.

Watching the little boy, several memories of his childhood returned to Nikau; the afternoons he spent playing with Bermuda or Australia in that garden (as well as the various other nations that lived under the power of England), the times that they were scolded by England for having spoiled their beds and the picnics they had there ... That was happy memories that he carried deep in his heart and although he was glad with his independence, leaving his childhood home was a bittersweet moment for him.

Ivan babbled incomprehensibly, looking at the various fairies and gnomes that began to emerge and he stumbled towards them, a little confused when a gnome escaped his grip, but soon he started walking behind the magical creatures and his temporary nanny was satisfied to see that the child seemed to have forgotten a little about Arthur's absence.

Eyeing the Russian, Nikau sat on one of the shaded benches and relaxed, letting the breeze feel. A babble made him turn to the baby, watching Russia try to catch a mushroom that was under a small tree surrounded by shrubs. The problem was that the mushroom was the home of a gnome not happy to have his home threatened and he started screaming in a strange language at Ivan and shaking himself furiously, scaring the baby, who immediately started crying, stumbling backwards and falling. ass.

\- Russia!

Nikau ran to help the baby, trying to calm him, moaning when Ivan started calling Arthur, refusing to stop crying. He only stopped when, exhausted, he finally fell asleep, his face streaked with tears.

With a small smile, Nikau wiped Ivan's face, loosened his clothes a little and put him in the nursery, covered by his scarf before finally going to the kitchen to prepare something for him to eat. He hoped England would reward him for going through all of this, especially considering that he would have to spend almost an entire week alone with the baby.

Ivan slept for a couple of hours and Nikau ate peacefully, lying on the couch to rest, eventually falling asleep. Outside, the clouds gradually covered the sky and left it gray and the air colder. Ivan woke up at some point, feeling a cold breeze (for him) on his body.

\- Athui? - Ivan looked around, seeing Nikau sleeping on the sofa, but no Arthur in sight. This made the child started to cry, calling out to Arthur and the New Zealander, waking up with a jolt, sighed when he had a feeling of déjà-vu that morning.

Arthur returned home at three in the afternoon, in a light drizzle. He had taken longer than he expected and he was dying of worry, although the photo his former colony had sent him that morning helped him to calm down a little.

He was not surprised to hear Ivan's cry as soon as he walked through the door of his house and quickly hurried in, being immediately approached by two nations in different stages of relief.

\- England ... - Nikau whined, looking like he was about to cry. In his arms, Ivan immediately extended his arms for Arthur to take him.

\- Ready ready. I am here now. - Arthur calmed them both, taking Ivan in his arms and ruffling Nikau's hair. – You were a good boy today, right, Ivan? It did not give problems to Nikau, did you?! – Na unpleasant smell reached his nose and pushing the little culprit away he grimaced when he realized the cause of the bad smell.

\- Thanks for helping, Nikau. Why do you not stay for dinner? I will cook your favorite dish. – The British invited with a gentle smile, not waiting for the answer before going up to give Ivan a bath.

Despite the feeling of impending doom in the knowledge that he would have to taste the food of his old metropolis, New Zealand stayed and after changing the dirty diaper and refreshing Ivan, the three nations were in the kitchen. Russia refused to leave Arthur, clinging to him like a koala while Nikau sat at the table, watching Arthur cook.

The Breton's food looked just as hideous as before, but he noted that it looked different too, and when he tasted it, it didn't taste too bad. The appearance, however, remained dire.

\- Wow, that really brings back memories... – Nikau murmured, poking the confused mixture with a fork.

\- Did you say something? – Arthur asked, more attentive to Ivan than the other blond, who quickly denied it. – Thanks for taking care of him, Nikau.

\- He doesn't give so much work; but don’t you think he's just a little… too attached to you, maybe? He certainly missed you!

\- Well, this is the first time he's been without me. - Arthur justified, smiling when Ivan gently tapped his hand to ask for more food.

After dinner Nikau, despite Arthur's refusal to let him go, resolving to return home, ensuring that he would call to say that he had arrived home safe and sound. He didn't need to, but if it would calm his former metropolis Nikau he didn't care. He said goodbye to Arthur and waved to Ivan, surprised when the boy grabbed his hand.

\- Russia?

\- Bye, bye! – Ivan smiled at the little blonde before hiding his face on Arthur's neck, timidly and after the shock was over the two adults laughed, Nikau ruffling Ivan's hair with affection before walking away.

Arthur and Ivan stood at the door watching the island nation walk away before entering the house, Ivan already yawning and struggling to keep his eyes open. Also feeling the fatigue of a day's work, Arthur sat in his chair, keeping Ivan pressed to his chest.

\- Today was a tiring day... Damn politicians... They make everything complicated! Your boss, especially! – Arthur protested to Ivan, who looked at him with his hand over his mouth and wide eyes before babbling happily, gesturing incomprehensible words.

The relief Arthur felt at having the little Russian pressed against him was something he remembered feeling in the past... It was like finally coming home.


	9. Meetings are as problematic as babies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An white day gift to you, as a token of my gratitude to everyone who has been following this story (although I'm pretty sure that White Day doesn't work like that, but anyway ...).  
> Sorry for the grammatical errors and feel free to comment. You can't imagine how much your comments motivate me to keep writing!

Políticos não tem nacionalidade. São os mesmos em toda parte. - Ediel

* * *

\- THE HERO ARRIVED !! - Alfred banged open the wooden door, causing several nations to jump into place when the door slammed against the wall, surely creating a crack in it.

\- _Amerika_ , HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU NOT TO HIT THE DOOR ?! - Germany shouted at him, irritated, especially when all Alfred did was laugh and apologize as if it was nothing big. - Go to your seat now, the meeting has started!

\- OK! Hi, Iggy! – Alfred waved to the Brit, who made a grimace.

\- Shut up, idiot! You arrive late and cause a commotion ...!

\- You are more surly than normal, _Angleterre_ ; Didn't you sleep well today? Not that I believe that a beauty sleep is good for you ... – France asked the other blonde, who snarled at him without real fury.

\- Like I'm going to say anything to you, frog!

\- Isn't something wrong at the meeting today? – Spain commented to the Italian brothers.

\- How do I know, tomato bastard?! It looks the same as always!

\- Ve, brother, brother, I'm hungry... Can we eat something?

\- ENOUGH! - Germany shouted. - We will start the meeting at that moment; all go to their seats and answer the call: Italy!

\- On here! - The two brothers answered.

\- Spain!

\- On here!

\- France!

\- _Ici_!

\- England!

\- On here!

\- Russia!

Silence.

\- Russia?!

All countries looked around, confused, when they did not hear the familiar Russian accent and speculation began, growing with the proportions of a fire. Was Russia late? Sick? The Russian has rarely been absent and his absence has caused a certain collective disturbance.

\- Did something happen to Russia?! – Northern Italy wondered, looking more curious than concerned.

\- A meeting without Russia?! I can't believe it ... - Lithunia commented with a small hopeful smile, feeling only slightly bad for her relief.

\- HAHAHAHA! I bet he was afraid to face me! – Alfred laughed, stuffing a burger in his mouth.

\- Maybe someone should check it out? – Spain suggested.

\- Great, then you can go, Spain! – Hungary ordered, scaring the poor Spaniard.

\- M-me-me?! I'm not that close to him... Maybe one of his sisters would be better, right?!

\- Excuse me, but my boss forbade me to speak to Vanya... - Ukraine whimpered, really devastated and Belarus cheered up, already getting up to fetch her beloved brother.

\- Don't worry about it, Germany. Russia will not come at today's meeting. – Arthur said, cutting off the conversation, several pairs of eyes focusing on him, confused and shocked, especially America.

\- Is there a reason for that, England? - Germany asked, frowning slightly.

\- That can be explained later. For the moment, let's start our meeting. – Arthur said, looking completely calm, ignoring the looks he received and after hesitating for a moment, Germany continued the call, starting the meeting after going through the long list.

\- Very well, the first subject that we will talk about first is related to environmental issues! _Amerika_ , we have been discussing environmental measures and carbon reduction for _years_ ; when will you take a position on this? – Germany demanded to know, nothing satisfied and then began a long discussion on the subject, not unlike what happened at other times.

Presentations came and went, all boring and repeated from previous performances, time passing at a snail's pace and this slowness was increasingly undermining Arthur's self-confidence, who wanted nothing more than to end this at once, knowing that the worst would come later, when the most sensitive issue in question was addressed.

He was prepared, Arthur said to himself, he knew everything he would say and knew that he could bear all the consequences, having prepared for it, but still... He ignored France's provocations and didn’t speak about the environment , his previous position on the unchanging subject and when Germany released them for the break, he fled the room as soon as possible.

Arthur intended to take some food and run away to somewhere he could be at peace, not wanting to deal with anyone before the hour, but unfortunately, a certain country adhering to “free” love approached him before Arthur could leave the country. canteen with his tray, the typical malicious smile decorating the elegant face that made the Brit want to throw his food against that annoying face.

\- _Angleterre, mon ami_ , exactly the one I wanted to see!

\- Tch, a pity, frog, I am not looking forward to seeing you! Now, if you will excuse me...

\- Why the hurry, _Angleterre_? We finally had a break from those annoying questions and we can have fun and you refuse my company? Oh, _mon dieu_! – Francis tossed his hair aside, dramatically.

\- For the love of... What the hell do you want, frog? Speak as soon as I want to eat! – Arthur grunted, looking for a place to sit, the Frenchman following right behind him.

\- I'm just curious; like everyone else, I think. Is there something going on between you and Russia that you want to talk to, mon ami? – Francis asked Arthur with his typical smile, getting too close to Arthur for his taste.

\- Nothing of your concern, idiot! – The British grunted, without looking at him and that only prompted the Frenchman to bother his colleague.

\- Oh, come on, _Angleterre_ ; tell the big brother here, will you? Which is? Which is?! You know something about your absence, don't you? I want to know too…

\- Get out, idiot; I already said... - Arthur was interrupted by the vibration of his cell phone and pushing Francis away from him, he checked the phone, knowing that no one would call him at that moment if it wasn't something important.

As he imagined, the call number was none other than New Zealand and with a warning glance at Francis he left the canteen, depositing his lunch on a table without looking back as he left through one of the halls under the brief gaze of some who wondered why he was leaving, but figuring it was questions about their country they quickly returned to their own affairs.

Alfred, who was entering the canteen, bumped into Arthur and tried to speak to him, but an impatient gesture from the Brit to his cell phone indicated that he was too busy at the moment and could not speak, barely sparing a look at the American who tried not to feel angry for being ignored.

\- Nikau? It's all right? – Arthur asked on the phone when he found himself far enough from the crowd, walking through the corridors quickly in search of a discreet place to talk.

\- England! – The tone of the New Zealander was of obvious relief and that worried Arthur, especially when he heard Ivan's shrill cry in the background. – Sorry to bother you in the middle of the meeting, but Russia is not calming down and I...

\- Pass the phone to him.

There were indistinct sounds following Arthur's request and Nikau's voice sounded far and distant, clearly trying to calm the child before putting him on the phone.

\- Athui... Athui... Gone... - Ivan cried, his heart-wrenching sobs and the Englishman immediately wished he could return home and calm the poor baby.

\- Ivan, Ivan, calm down, baby, okay? I did not leave; I will be back, it will just take a little while, okay? – Arthur assured in a calm voice, happy when Ivan seemed to hear him. – Listen, baby, I had to travel to a very important meeting and that is why I did not bring you with me, but I will be back, ok? It will only be for five days, nothing more...

\- Athui... Wanna Athui! – Ivan sniffed, murmuring incomprehensible words to understand the Brit. Obviously the baby was distressed and Arthur felt guilty for leaving without saying goodbye to him.

\- Oh, I want you too, Ivan, but I can't go there now, I'm sorry! What if I sing you a song? Will you stop crying, love? – Arthur asked in a soft voice and after a few more sniffs, Ivan agreed.

Laughing, Arthur mentally went through his not-so-vast repertoire of children's songs and started humming “Please, don’t take my Sunshine away”, repeating it over and over until Ivan was snoring on the phone.

\- Ah, it looks like he slept. – Nikau spoke on the phone, relieved, as well as the Brit.

\- Really? Tjank you, Lord! If he wakes up again, do not hesitate to call me, Nikau. Anytime!

Relieved, the New Zealander assured him that he would, and after a few more instructions that Arthur thought was important, he hung up the phone and returned to the living room, the clock showing that the brief lunch break was over. Luckily, he was not late, entering with the last nations and once in his places (after he went after some more capricious nations that always disappeared during these intervals and lost almost forty minutes) Germany once again started the meeting.

\- Ok, silence everyone; we still have three more hours of meeting, so get settled as soon as possible! – The German grunted, clearly annoyed. Apparently, he and America were in conflict over environmental issues and he was somewhat frustrated, something that Arthur could understand; Alfred knew how to be irritating when he wanted to be. – Our next agenda... Russia should be here to discuss this, but I think we can at least update ourselves on the subject: sanctions against Russia!

There are murmurs of discomfort and nervous looks, some looking towards the door as if they expected the giant nation to emerge through it with their dreaded smile, not knowing if it was a good sign or not when it didn't.

\- On this subject, my position has not changed at all compared to the last time! – Alfred spoke.

\- _Amerika_ , you have not been given space to speak; wait your turn! – Germany instructed with a tired grunt.

\- Germany, about that... Can I go first? – Arthur asked, raising his hand and after a careful look, Germany allowed, sitting in his place.

Walking over to the big slate, Arthur prepared himself mentally and then watched each of the nations, his gaze watching Alfred intently for a moment longer than the others, and the American felt his stomach twist in a sign of foreboding.

\- I believe that everyone is well aware of the current relationship between Russia and Europe, the United Kingdom mainly and what are the reasons for that. For I, England, the greatest representative of the United Kingdom, am today removing any sanctions against Russia and announcing that we will be opening the doors to new trade relations!

There was a long moment of silence, while everyone stared at England as if he had gone mad or, from one minute to the next, created a second head before everything went to hell.

\- WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?! – America shouted, urging other countries to ask numerous questions, especially those that were part of the European Union, leaving no room for the island nation to speak. - What'hell do you mean?!

\- SILENCE, EVERYONE! LEAVE SPACE FOR HIM TO SPEAK IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING! – Germany shouted, clapping his hands on the table before turning to Arthur with sharp eyes. – England, explain yourself!

\- What is there to explain? I am simply withdrawing my sanctions against Russia... – Arthur was disagreed, well aware of the irritation of the German in his vague response and of some other European countries mainly. – There is no evidence that the Russians are responsible for the poisoning of the ex-spy and to put these suspicions aside, we have proposed a mutual commercial agreement; It's simple!

\- Really? Because, I'm sorry if I don't believe you, England, but you can't just come here overnight and say that you've changed your mind about Russia! – America crossed his arms with a frown on his face.

\- It is not overnight, America; this is something we have been discussing for a while now! – Arthur explained, feeling a little bad for the betrayed look that blinked in Alfred's eyes for a moment, but soon dismissed that feeling. There was no reason for Alfred to feel betrayed, the world didn't revolve around him and what he wanted or thought was right.

\- So you and Russia have been discussing deals behind the backs of Europe? Honhonhonhonhon, _mon ami_ , you are daring! – Francis teased, crossing his fingers under his chin.

\- I do not see what the whole of Europe has to do with it, France! The new agreements were created to correct the enmity created through a false accusation, I do not…

\- “False accusation”? _False accusation_?! – Alfred's voice rose, incredulous and furious. – It’s obvious that that communist has something to do with it! Who else would it be?! What did that bastard do to you, Iggy? Is he forcing you to do this?

\- First, I told you to stop calling me that, America! And second, no one forces me to do anything! I am not a defenseless country, incapable of making decisions of its own or being intimidated by anyone, even Russia!

\- You are well aware of what this "agreement" with Russia will bring you, right, England? I will not support anyone who decides to help that bastard! – Alfred threatened, slamming his fist on the table and Arthur took a deep breath, his expression becoming firmer.

\- Russia stopped being a communist years ago, America, change the disc! And I am well aware of what you can do, but my position has not changed; England will be forming a trade alliance with Russia and that's it!

\- And where is Russia to talk about it? - Sweden asked stoically, adjusting her glasses.

\- He won't come! Our agreement required some… Attention on your part, hence your absence! – Arthur explained, looking away and hoping that the lie would not be caught.

The tension in the room was stifling, the eyes of the world (literally) going from America to England, wondering now what was going to happen. To the relief of many, America leaned back in his seat, shooting England with betrayed and furious eyes, but the English ignored him, moving on to the superficial details of his trade and making subtle suggestions that other European nations should do the same, ignoring the acid words that America was throwing at him, to the point that Germany had to intervene and force him to be silent.

When the meeting finally ended - for that day, there were still four more days of meeting - everyone fled the room as soon as possible, Arthur among them, not wanting to have to deal with the American nation for now.

Luckily for him, Arthur managed to escape to his room before he was intercepted by someone (like the angry American and, by God, no, Francis. They would both end up in nasty fights), locking her up and thanking the heavens for having changed his mind at the last minute, imagining that Alfred would invade the place without the slightest consideration for his will, especially if he was upset as he was.

It was still early, but Arthur imagined that he would have a lot of work to do, responding to messages and emails from the European Union asking for clarification, many of them unofficial, as was the case with his brothers and some countries closer to him. Arthur had to admit that he was impressed with how quickly they were sending their questions (more like demands), considering that they had left the meeting a few minutes ago.

For each of them the answer was vague and short; Arthur knew he didn't explain much, but honestly, why did it bother other nations so much? He was not involving the European Union in this and America didn’t rule him, so it all irritated him.

Alfred had been texting him non-stop since he got to his room, demanding explanations, but Arthur ignored it, deciding he could take care of it later. He asked for a hearty dinner at nightfall and made a video call to Nikau. Ivan looked sadder and from what New Zealand told him, he hadn't eaten much, but he seemed to get a little more excited by the sight of Arthur, who spent hours talking to Ivan, waiting for the child to calm down to sleep.

It took hours before Ivan finally fell asleep, not wanting to fall asleep for fear of Arthur disappearing when he woke up and the next day Arthur woke up with eyes heavy with sleep and his head throbbing with pain. He already knew it wouldn't be a good day for him, but he forced himself to get up anyway.

* * *

_\- Angleterre? Bonjour, mon cher_! Where did you go after the meeting ended, huh? I was looking forward to talking to you; our friend _Amérique_ , too! Are you running away, huh? Honhonhonhonhon…

Exhausted, Arthur turned to the Frenchman, letting him see his tired eyes and unfriendly expression, making him stop for a moment and look at his former rival.

\- Oh, _sacre bleu, Angleterre_? It's all right? What were you doing last night, huh?

\- In the name of the queen, Francis, shut up before I hang you with your stupid, flashy hair! – Arthur snarled, walking again. He needed tea. Too much tea, if you wanted to survive that meeting.

\- As happy as ever... You look terrible, _mon ami_ ; I think a good breakfast will help you, right?

The look Arthur gave the Frenchman in response to his irritating comment was so amusing that he felt he was worthy of a prize for that, but of course, Francis didn't mind, dragging him to a nice cafe near the meeting building, ignoring his protests and being a gentleman, Arthur refused to cause a scene, following the other blond with protests growled in a low voice.

While tea was welcome, Arthur had something to say about his company and was not at all pleasant, especially not with Francis's pathetic attempts to address the subject of the previous day without being too direct, probably feeling the Brit's sour mood .

\- For God's sake, Francis, could you keep these disgusting gossips for yourself? I do not care who slept with whom, who is using what, what they did during the months that we didn't see each other or what I think of a guy talking to cicrano; in fact, I know very well that you just want to know about my relationship with Ivan, so spit it out! – Arthur tapped the cup on the table, looking into surprised blue eyes.

Francis and Arthur looked at each other, blue eyes uncertain, green eyes steady and shadowed with resolute emotion. Finally the Frenchman sighed and placed his cup of tea on the table, a serious and unusual expression adorning his face.

\- Already using his name? Wow, this is more serious than I expected... _Angleterre_ , I don't want to tell you what you can and cannot do, but do you know what you're doing? – Francis asked seriously and was surprised at how quickly Arthur responded.

\- Yes. I already thought several times what I was getting into when I accepted this agreement; I spent a whole month thinking about it. I know what I'm doing! And don't you dare bring America to that! I also know what he can do and I don't fear him!

\- Just as you don't fear Russia?! I don't agree with everything that _Amérique_ said about him and believe me, he had a lot to say about Russia, but I also know that Russia is not stable enough to be reliable!

\- Why? Why does he think of himself? Why does he aim for his nation's growth above others? Isn't it the same for us, France? Or have you forgotten all that we have done in the past for your own benefit? You and I?

\- It doesn’t change the barbarities he committed, _Angleterre_! He **is** violent **and** a murderer; this agreement between you will end badly!

Arthur fought against the desire to refute that statement, finding it all very unfair, although, of course, he himself thought so before. But it was different now. He was no longer dealing with unstable Russia; he could not think of Russia and not remember Ivan, the adorable baby who clung to him and smiled constantly, looking at the world with purely innocent eyes. There was a new sea of possibilities before him and Arthur knew he should take advantage of them.

If Francis expected England to revolt and be angry with him, he was surprised by the small warm smile on the Briton's face, who took a sip of tea, without looking at him.

\- Maybe you're right, but I am willing to take a chance. It will be worth it!

Francis stared at his normally rival friend, astonished and admired by the kind look on his rival's face, wondering what kind of relationship he had with the Russian now. Looking at him clearly was not at all forced, as Alfred had been shouting all night long, and this further aroused his curiosity and only a rare dose of common sense prevented him from asking questions - most of them unseemly - to the Briton. Years of dealing with a surly Englishman had taught him when not to provoke the other.

After finishing the coffee the two nations went to the conference room a little later than usual, to avoid conflicts, but the atmosphere was as tense as the day before and it was obvious that America was agitated, being aggressive in his speech and releasing veiled threats towards Russia, even though he is not present, his eyes are constantly directed to his former metropolis.

Arthur didn't care, or at least tried not to bother, feeling conflicted with the attitude of his former colony. The meeting was far from over when Arthur's cell phone vibrated insistently in his pocket, and after looking at the caller ID he excused himself, not waiting for permission to leave.

\- Nikau?! What happened?! – Arthur asked, entering an empty room.

\- I'm sorry, Arthur, Ivan had a fever and was crying for you for hours... I thought he would get better if he talked to you! – Nikau's voice came from the other side, a little distressed and Arthur felt his heart flutter.

\- Yes of course. Pass it to him!

Nikau turned away from the phone and called for Ivan, who took a while to speak on the phone, although his slightly wheezing breath gave him away.

\- Ivan, are you okay? How are you, sweetie? – Arthur asked in a loving voice, feeling bad when he heard the whimper.

\- It hu’ts ... Athui, it hu’ts ... – Ivan whimpered, clearly uncomfortable. - Wanna Athui! Could (cold)!

\- Oh, love, I know, but it will get better soon, okay? I will take care of it, I will be back soon and you will be fine. I am going home? OK?!

\- Home?

\- Yes and when I come back I will give you more of those honey loaves that you like so much and we will spend time in the garden, you like the garden, right? Full of sun and heat...

Arthur whispered some assurances to the baby, but Ivan couldn't stay on the phone for long, his fever making him more uncomfortable and sobbing. Arthur warned New Zealand that he would be returning home sooner, unable to bear to know that Ivan was suffering while away from him and after ending the call, Arthur sent a message to Germany, warning that he would be returning home for internal reasons, asking him to bring your documents.

The Englishman met the German in the corridor and after giving a quick explanation for his departure he went back to his hotel room and quickly packed his bags, warning the pilot of his private aircraft to prepare to leave.

In less than an hour and a half (thank you Lord he was in the german country, not more distant) was back in his national territory and from the airport he took a taxi home, the relief of being back inundating him the instant he stepped on his ground. As if waiting for him, the moment he touched the handle, Nikau opened the door, looking quite relieved to see the Brit.

\- Where is he?

\- In the bedroom, sleeping. You didn't have to come back earlier, England! - The New Zealander said, although he was clearly relieved that Arthur was there. – I'm sorry that I wasn't much help, after all that work to get used to each other!

\- Do not worry; I had already transmitted everything I needed on the first day. After that, I would just deal with the consequences of my announcement, something I was not very excited about, although I know I can't postpone it for long! – Arthur sighed with a watery smile, slowly going up the stairs.

Arthur smiled when he saw little Ivan lying in the middle of a sea of blankets and pillows, his little round face slightly red in a clear lack of clothes, damp towels covering him.

\- Thanks for taking care of him, Nikau. You do not know how much you helped me. – Arthur thanked him sincerely, touching Ivan's heated face.

\- It was nothing. If it's okay, I'll be going home now.

The two countries said goodbye and once alone, Arthur removed his tie and threw it on the dresser, going down to the kitchen and preparing a quick snack for himself before taking Ivan's medicine and going back up to his room. Taking the little body carefully in his arms, Arthur medicated it, hoping that the fever would pass soon.

Ivan barely woke up, sniffling and moaning in pain before going back to sleep, barely aware of his surroundings, one of his small hands clinging tightly to Arthur's shirt, who smiled warmly.

* * *

\- Arthur. Arthur. – A childish voice called him, pulling him out of his well-deserved sleep.

\- Not now, America. Go back to sleep. – Arthur groaned, refusing to open his eyes and the child's voice laughed.

\- Arthur! – The child (his exhausted mind warned him that there was something different about his accent) hit his face with a little excessive force and angrily Arthur opened his eyes, ready to scold his colony, but instead of seeing Alfred, he he came across a totally different boy.

He had platinum hair, lashes and eyebrows, a prominent nose and violet eyes that looked at him with joy and anxiety. It took an effort of his mind for Arthur to be able to recognize the boy in front of him, even with the obvious characteristics.

\- Ivan’?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, about the meeting; I started writing this story in mid-2019 and the case of the Russian spy working for the British government who was murdered was a recent case, as were the sanctions against Russia. I wanted to keep myself as close to the current reality as possible, but that will not always be the case, but I thought I should situate them a little.
> 
> And with that we have reached the end of this volume. Finally! The next volume is already ready and will show a more grown Ivan and the new adventures that this will bring, in addition to more interactions with Arthur's magical friends and some little explored characters in the anime. Until then!


	10. AN: Important Changes and the Progress of Story

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is not an update, but read on, because it is important for the continuation of this story!

When I started writing this story, it was because I really liked Russia as a character. I had a whole development in my mind, how I was going to start and how I was going to end, with the story of these two brothers going on over the course of a year or two, maybe even more, with Ivan growing up little by little.

However, writing the current volume, I saw that it would not be possible for me to do this, because I was getting lost and the story, which should have been simple, was getting too big, all because I can't be succinct in my writing.

So, in order not to risk losing myself and ending up abandoning this series, I decided to change how the story will happen a little bit and instead of seeing Ivan grow up little by little, the story will follow more or less the course of Frozen Sunflower (a fic that I love a lot).

There will still be four arches, where I want to at least approach Arthur's complicated family and their former colonies, America, at least a little bit and write another fic that will develop a fraternal relationship between these two nations a little more seriously.

It was by making this decision that I needed to change some excerpts from chapter 6 and for those who have already gone through this chapter not having to return, I will publish the altered excerpts below.

I apologize for the annoyance, but honestly, I think it will be better that way.

* * *

(Arthur's interaction with Titania)

\- Oh, but he's so cute ... Why not raise him? It will only take a few years for him to reach adulthood!

\- I cannot take care of him for so long! His boss must be worried by now and we could end up getting involved in a diplomatic incident, or worse! – Arthur argued, a little desperate.

\- Then just leave him with the sisters. Or just hand it over to his government; it should be easy for you. It doesn't have to be your responsibility, Arthur, nor do you have any connection with him!

\- I already thought about it! – Arthur snarled, until he realized who he was talking to and calmed down. – I already thought about it. But I can't just hand over a baby like that to someone and not worry, even if it's for your sisters! Ukraine and Russia have a lot of conflicts and Belarus is crazy about him! In addition, his government is known to be brutal; even if it's not like that anymore, I... I cannot...

Silence fell on them. Although he knew it was not his responsibility, as a gentleman and, most importantly, as someone who had looked after countless nations before, Arthur could not simply throw the child to another and ignore his fate. Russia appeared on his sofa, so in a way it was as if he had been given this responsibility and abandoning it wouldn’t be right.

Seeing the conflict of the island nation, the fairy queen smiled, pleased to know that Arthur would not simply leave the small nation alone. It would have been problematic if he did that.

\- You’re lucky that I like you, Arthur; I don't do this for everyone.

\- So you go…

\- Yes, but... - Titânia has already interrupted the rain of thanks from the blonde. - I will need some time to study this spell and create a countermeasure, since it is completely different from my magic. It will take a few months, I fear!

Arthur didn't like it very much; he, despite having taken care of many young nations in the past, never took care of a baby, baby really.

\- Is not there anything more immediate, really?

\- There is nothing I need to do that the spell did not do by itself! He is weak, unstable; Russia will grow little by little and in months or years, perhaps, it will reach its present adulthood, but it is not the most ideal, I fear! - Titania replied. – He’s now a baby, with no memories of who he was, what he has already done or who he has known; it's a blank sheet, ready to write a new story for you! It will be as if the Russia you knew never existed before! - When Arthur said nothing, the queen continued. - This is not a bad choice; think of the advantages that this will bring you as a country and as a person! Maybe that one won't abandon you!

Arthur swallowed and felt tears welling up in his eyes, but he quickly wiped away the tears, not wanting to be ashamed before the sovereign.

\- Yes, it would be good... But then I would take something precious not only from Russia, but from your sisters and maybe even your people! I would be being a colonizer again, not a caregiver! I... I prefer the countermeasure spell, if you can, my queen!

\- Of course, dear. - Titania laughed. - And there is no reason to thank me, dear Arthur, just take good care of this child and above all, love him!

\- Madam…?

\- This poor child lacks love and warmth, but has created so many disaffections throughout his life and has never been cared for as he should have been that it would have been impossible otherwise; he has that opportunity now, so be patient and kind. You created other nations. I know you'll know what to do!

* * *

(End of Chapter 6)

\- I am sorry for disturbing you, my queen; we didn't want to cause any inconvenience to you! – The jovial-looking gnome bowed to the sovereign while walking beside her, already far from the ears of the island nation.

\- In fact, I really should punish them for playing with magic like that. You could have regressed it to the point of non-existence and then we would have a big problem in the world! I should punish you for this recklessness, maybe a few more centuries in the human world would be a fair punishment don't you think, Ailujhy? – Titania spoke calm and smiling, even though the threat was visible in her face and tone of voice.

\- II'm sorry, my queen!

\- Well, but at least that will be good for those two! – Titania sighed, her smile getting lighter. – At least Arthur will be able to enjoy family happiness this time and maybe this time he will have better luck.

\- That's what we want, my queen. Arthur deserves, after all these centuries, as well as Russia. But are you sure about the spell? Break it ...

\- That will be a good test for them. If both of them overcome the “tragedy”, I am sure that the bond they will share will be strong.

Titania's smile was decidedly diabolical, making the poor gnome shudder and say a silent prayer for Arthur for the queen's antics, who walked away through the trees, leaving behind a soft song and a trail of magic and light that disappeared along with she.

**Author's Note:**

> Serendipity means a "happy random discovery", or the fortune of finding something precious where we were not looking. Although not what he expected, Russia may be just what Arthur needs to be happy again.


End file.
